Happy Thursday, Vancouver!

Well, we made it through that brutal heatwave, and now the weather’s pulling a full 180 with rain in the forecast?! Of course it is. And this weekend is absolutely packed: festivals, markets, live music, and more than enough stuff to keep you busy until Monday.

Here's what to expect in today's edition of The PNW Report (Vancouver):

📰 Local News
☁️ Weather
🎉 Events & Things To Do
🤔 Lateral Thinking Puzzle

Let’s get started!

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LOCAL NEWS

💸 1 Million Dollar Powerball Winner Sold at a Vancouver 7/11 on 8/11

According to the latest update, a lucky ticket purchased at a Vancouver 7/11 matched five numbers (but not the red Powerball) to win $1 million in the August 11 drawing. Winners also emerged in New Jersey and Virginia for the same prize tier. The next drawing is set for Wednesday, August 13, with the jackpot climbing to an estimated $526 million. Um, if you were the winner, want to be BFFs? Just asking.

🏗️ Vancouver Council Kicks Walnut Grove High-Rise To The Curb

The Vancouver City Council just gave a big thumbs-down to a developer’s plan for a 5-story apartment building in the quiet Walnut Grove neighborhood. Cheers apparently echoed through chambers as the proposal (a rezoning gambit to turn a 1.6-acre site near Raymond E. Shaffer Community Park into dense housing) was officially killed. Council echoed neighbors’ concerns: high-density living wasn’t fitting for the streetscape.

💵 Two New Dollar Tree Locations Slated to Open in Vancouver

Two new Dollar Trees are opening soon - one in the former Craft Warehouse on Mill Plain, the other in Joann’s old Hazel Dell digs. Which means you can now trade in your fabric scissors for off-brand cereal and your glitter stash for a suspiciously heavy bottle of cleaning spray. Just don’t forget to bring the extra $0.25, because, remember: things at the Dollar Tree cost $1.25 now.

WEATHER [8/15 - 8/17]

Yep, it’s supposed to rain tomorrow. Yep, you can stare out at your lawn and say “we needed this” as the precipitation crashes down on your beautiful bluegrass. Yep, you sound like your parents 😝 

Friday, 8/15: 73/63 🌧️ Rain
Saturday, 8/16: 75/59 🌧️ AM Showers
Sunday, 8/17: 77/57 ⛅️ Partly Cloudy

EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO [8/15 - 8/17]

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? You’re in the right place! 🎉

Stay tuned for Monday morning’s newsletter, where we’ll give the lowdown on all the cool upcoming weekday events for next week!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15th

🖼️ Art & Sculpture Swap @ Kindred Vancouver | All Day (FREE)
Got art you’ve been side-eyeing for years? Time to canvas the neighborhood for a trade. Bring your ex-masterpieces (you know, the ones you “loved” until you realized they clash with everything you stand for), and swap them for someone else’s retired magnum opus at this free art & sculpture swap.

🌸 Grow and Arrange Cut Flowers Year-Round @ Heritage Farm | 9AM ($5)
Love fresh flowers at home? Join Clark County Master Gardener and florist Jayne DiMarco to learn how to plan, pick, and care for blooms in this 90-minute class that’ll keep you cutting (and arranging!) all year long. We be-leaf you can do it!

🏠 Marshall House Tour @ Officer’s Row | 10AM (FREE)
Step inside the Marshall House, where Queen Anne elegance meets military history. Once home to General George C. Marshall, this turreted treasure features stained glass, intricate woodwork, and a peek into the past with period furnishings and a recreated study. Walk-in tours available Wed–Fri, 10–2, and select Saturdays, 11–3.

👟 Lunchtime Walking Tour Series @ 1200 Franklin Street | 12PM (FREE)
Take a midday stroll through Vancouver’s holy and wholly scandalous past. This free walking tour from the Clark County Historical Museum covers the Courthouse District’s “Horrible Homicides vs. Early Churches.” No registration needed! Just show up, walk, and get your daily dose of murder and morality.

🎶 Washougal Songcraft Festival @ Reflection Plaza | 4PM - 8PM (FREE) 
Washougal’s hitting allllllll the right notes with the open air Washougal Songcraft Festival happening all weekend long. You better be there, pitches!

🚘 Friday Night Cruise-In @ Alderbrook Park | 5PM ($10)
Chrome, engines, and nostalgia…what more could you want? Polish your ride or just stroll and gawk at this wheely awesome classic car gathering in a beautiful scenic environment. This week’s 4th of July event features extended hours.

🎵 Summer Concert Series @ O.O. Howard House | 5:30PM (FREE)
They call LaRhonda Steele the “First Lady of Portland Blues,” but after this show you’ll just call her queen. Prepare for a night of gospel, soul, and blues that hits harder than a Ruzzo hard citrus in the beer garden. Grab some Smashed Cheese, Kona Ice, or A Cherry on Top, spread out your blanket, and let’s make the lawn shake!

🚣‍♀️ Dragon Boat Community Paddles @ Ridgefield Boat Launch | 6:30PM (FREE)
Ever wanted to commandeer a dragon boat? We have an oar-some opportunity for you. On summer Friday evenings, come to the Ridgefield Boat Launch to get your paddle on for free. No equipment or experience required!

🎥 E.T. @ Fort Vancouver | Dusk (FREE)
Phone home (or at least text your friends) and head to Fort Vancouver for a free, under-the-stars screening of E.T. at dusk. Bring a blanket, some Reese’s Pieces, and prepare for a blast!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16th 

🏁 Felida Cars and Coffee @ Creed Coffee Company | 8AM - 10AM (FREE)
Start your engines and your caffeine buzz at this classy cars + coffee combo! Bonus: if you attend, you get 10% off your coffee order. Wins all around!

7️⃣ Lucky 7 Flea Market @ Dandelion Teahouse | 9AM - 4PM (FREE)
Feeling lucky? Come manifest good thrift finds at this monthly market hosted by the Vancouver Downtown Association, Dandelion Teahouse, and Eras Vintage Market. May the odds ever be in your favor!

🛒 Vancouver Farmers Market @ Esther Short Park | 9AM - 3PM (FREE)
Your weekly reminder that vegetables can be aesthetic and bread is always the answer. Stock up, stroll around, and try not to spend all your money on honey and hot sauce. But, if you do, at least you’re spending local?!

♻️ Hidden Journey of Wastewater @ Water Resources Education Center | 9:30AM (FREE)
Ever wonder where your flushed…treasures go? Find out on this 75-minute surprisingly fascinating tour of our city’s very own wastewater treatment plant.

🍃 Plant Bullies to Avoid in Your Landscape Workshop @ CASEE Center | 10AM ($15)
Your garden’s not just a peaceful little Eden…it’s a battleground, and some plants are straight-up mean girls. Learn how to spot the leafy bullies that hog resources, push out the nice guys, and generally ruin the vibe. WSU Master Gardener Jennifer Mendoza will also spill the dirt on kinder, gentler replacements so your landscape can finally live in photosynthesis harmony?!

🌠 Starry Night Trees @ Craft Warehouse | 11AM ($20)
Why just paint the town red when you can paint the entire night sky? In this interactive craft class, you’ll take layered black metal tree cutouts, splash them with galaxy-worthy alcohol inks, and dot them with paint pen stars. You’re going to have a tree-mendous time!

🥳 Puppet Day @ O.O. Howard House | 11AM (FREE)
When’s the last time you really…felt something at a theater performance? Well, we’ve got you, because these two free puppet shows as part of Puppet Day are going to get you right in the feels. Local puppet performance companies Dragon Theater and Pegasus Theater will captivate your kiddos with live performances, and the food trucks and dessert vendors are sure to delight.