The Olympic Peninsula’s heaviest traffic weekend of the summer is centered around lavender festival and fair events in and near Sequim.

Expect U.S. Highway 101 traffic to be slow from Discovery Bay westbound into Sequim on Saturday and, likewise, slower eastbound on Sunday afternoon. Washington State Ferries has advised those using the Edmonds-Kingston route to expect heavy traffic.

This year, Sequim’s lavender events, on July 15-17, have gotten even larger, with two separate festivals.

In addition to lavender, check out the Sequim Studio Tour, Sunbonnet Sue’s 25th annual Quilt Show at Sequim Middle School, and, on Sunday, a car show at the festival street fair.

Here is a look at the two main events: the Sequim Lavender Festival and the Sequim Lavender Farm Faire.

Going into its 15th year, the Sequim Lavender Festival sees some different faces stepping into the limelight, as reported in the Sequim Gazette.

Niche or smaller-size lavender farmers are running a “U-Pick, U-Tour, U-Free Admission to Farms and Street Fair” promotion. Farms on the free Sequim Lavender Festival’s self-guided tour are Blackberry Forest, the Lavender Connection, Lost Mountain Lavender, Martha Lane Lavender, Nelson’s Duck Pond & Lavender Farm, Oliver’s Lavender Farm and Peninsula Nurseries. The emphasis, said Mary Jendrucko, festival executive director, is to promote these farms and show their viability.

For more information about the Sequim Lavender Festival, email

info@lavenderfestival.com, call 360-681-3035 or visit

lavenderfestival.com.

Meanwhile, lavender weekend remains business as usual for the newly established Sequim Lavender Farmers Association. The group, comprising many of Sequim’s original lavender farms, has started its own three-day event, the Sequim Lavender Farm Faire, based out of Carrie Blake Park.

One of the main events, the classic Lavender Farms on Tour, continues for a 15th year with the group’s world-famous lavender farms. Participating farms on the paid-admission tour are Cedarbrook Lavender & Herb Farm, Olympic Lavender Farm, Port Williams Lavender, Purple Haze Lavender, Sunshine Herb & Lavender Farm and Washington Lavender.

Admission to Lavender Farms on Tour is $15 at the farms during the event, and $10 for active military and their dependents. There is no admission fee for children 12 and younger.

Jardin du Soleil Lavender Farm rejoins the tour as a limited-edition farm after originally bowing out of participation due to a family commitment. It and all farms with the Lavender Farmers Association expect to be open through lavender season. Farm tour buses do not stop at Jardin du Soleil.

The event is being touted as eight festivals in one fair with each farm featuring live music, food, demonstrations and workshops along with U-pick lavender.

For more information, contact the Sequim Lavender Farm Faire at

sequimlavenderfarms.org,

info@sequimlavenderfarms.org or call 360-452-6300.