Skiers! There’s Much Ado About Something In Ashland

The little town of Ashland, Ore., is best known for its annual Shakespeare festival, but it would like to be known for skiing, too.

The ski area, 18 miles outside the city in the “Oregon Alps” (Shakespeare undoubtedly would have approved of this bit of creative marketing) has four chair lifts with 23 runs.

For information: Ashland Chamber of Commerce, (503) 482-3486.

Hotel happiness: Various opportunities to spend money pleasurably at hotels around the Northwest:

Ocean Pointe Resort in Victoria, British Columbia, is offering a deluxe Rejuvenation Package through March 31. Guests receive two nights luxury accommodation, plus facial and body treatments, along with reflexology, masso therapy, Trager and Reiki.

The package costs $285 (Canadian) per person, based on double occupancy. Call (800) 575-8882 or (604) 360-2999.

Short takes: Bits and pieces from around the Northwest:

Port Ludlow Resort, across Puget Sound from Seattle, offers a golf package through March 31. For $45 to $55 per person, based on double occupancy, guests receive a deluxe room and 18 holes of golf. For information, call (800) 732-1239 or (206) 437-2222.

Fat Tuesday, Seattle’s zany celebration, is back for its 19th year next Friday and Saturday . The festival at Pioneer Square includes blues and rock music, food, races, parades and a Spam Carving Contest.

Bellingham and Whatcom County are offering a free 1995 calendar featuring more than 150 special events this year, from the arts to the outdoors. For a copy, call (800) 487-2032 or (206) 671-3990.

Think spring: The seventh annual Northwest Flower and Garden Show, now the third-largest show of its kind in North America, begins Wednesday and runs through Sunday in Seattle.

This show covers five acres at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center and features 30 gardens and displays and 300 commercial exhibits. About 90,000 people are expected to attend.

For information, call (206) 244-1700.

On the road: What’s the top tourism event in Washington state this year?

The Omak Stampede (Aug. 11-13), that’s what, according to the American Bus Assocation, which has issued a brochure listing the nation’s top 100 events of 1995. (Not to be skeptical of the massive appeal of the Omak Stampede, but we suspect some of these destinations were picked because they’re easily accessible by bus).

Other top events around the region, according to the assocation:

Idaho: Boise River Festival, June 22-25.

Montana: Custer’s Last Stand Re-Enactment, Hardin, June 23-25.

Oregon: Portland Rose Festival, June; Oregon Bach Festival, Eugene, June 23-July 8.

For a free brochure listing every state, write to: Top 100 Events, American Bus Assocation, 1100 New York Ave. NW, Suite 1050, Washington, DC 20005.

MEMO: Send information about travel opportunities around the Pacific Northwest to: Travel Editor, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.