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Custer’s Spring Antique and Collectors Sale - 33rd annual event with more than 300 dealers. Featuring furniture, glassware, fine china, silver, vintage clothing, old toys, estate jewelry, prints, tools, coins, dolls, primitives and more. Grashe Fine Art Restoration, Wilson’s Crystal and Glass Repair and Nurse Nancy’s Doll Repair will be there as well. Today, 4-9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. $6/general (good all weekend), free/ages 12 and younger, free parking available. (509) 924-0588.

Linda Ballard Quilting Workshop - “Peppermint ‘n Sassafras” focuses on quilting tips, techniques and fun. Skill level is beginner-plus to advanced. Presented by Washington State Quilters. Pre-registration required. Today. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Hampton Inn, 2010 S. Assembly Road. $58, includes lunch. (509) 435-3889.

Linda Ballard Quilting Workshop - “Earth, Wind and Fire” is a controlled, scrap quilt class that will feature three different patterns within the quilt while fine tuning technique. Presented by Washington State Quilters. Pre-registration required. Saturday. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Hampton Inn, 2010 S. Assembly Road. $58, includes lunch. (509) 435-3889.

Solar Electricity Class - Learn the basics of Solar PV and what is required to get started with these projects. Registration required. May 3. 9 a.m.-noon., Eco Depot, 1326 E. Sprague Ave. $35, includes materials and handouts. (509) 924-8803.

S.O.S Open-Air Experience and Eco-Show - The first Save.Our.Shire Open-Air Experience and Eco-Show will be hosted by Oasis productions Organics and The Fresh Idea Farm on 592 acres of Schierman ground, six miles southwest of St. John. Tickets are available in Spokane at Natural Start Bakery on Hamilton, Mark’s Guitar Shop on Garland, and Piece of Mind in the Spokane Valley, or online at brownpapertickets.com/producer/7288. The event will showcase the Northwest’s environmental movement with hands-on learning, workshops, and seminars covering topics of sustainable construction, alternative energies, drought tolerant landscaping, organics, recycling and renewable resources. Several artistic competitions, art installations and nearly 30 musical performances are planned. Visit www.thefreshideafarm.com or befriend the farm at www.myspace.com/freshideafarm. May 8-12. 8 a.m., 101 Harry Pierce Rd, St John, Wash. (509) 648-3272.

Garden

Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane Meeting - History of the Spokane Lilac Festival Association and presentation of the Lilac Princesses. Guests welcome to attend lecture and stay for lunch. Today. 10 a.m., Manito Park meeting room, 4 W. 21st Ave. Free. (509) 838-9186.

Chewelah Earth Day - Today, 10 a.m.-noon, Food Giveaway Day sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Second Harvest, and the Chewelah Food Bank with free lunch for all, a free clothing bank, and a Resource Fair to talk with representatives from Rural Resources, Salvation Army, Health Care NW, Dominicare, Avista and others, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 202 N. Second St. West.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with craft fair, free food, garden seeds, tree seedlings, pressure canner lid testing, kids Earth Day crafts, along with bingo and health care and green living exhibitors at “Creekside,” at St. Paul Lutheran Church; Sunday, noon, with Earth Day Fair Charity Golf Tournament, $35/includes dinner, with part of the entry fee benefiting the Chewelah Food Bank, and silent auction open to all which also benefits the food bank, at Chewelah Golf and Country Club. Chewelah. (509) 935-6311.

Clean-up and Organizational Meeting - For a community garden located off Northwest Boulevard near the corner of Hemlock Street and Fairview Avenue. New gardeners welcome. Saturday. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., meet at the garden near the Transitional Living Center building, 3128 N. Hemlock St. Free. (509) 328-2523.

Explore and Discover: Spring Wildflowers - Learn about the native and non-native species of wildflowers in our area. Saturday. 9:30 a.m.-noon, Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, 26010 S. Smith Road. $17/Adults; $10/Youth age 16 and younger. (509) 625-6200.

Inland Empire Bonsai Society - See demonstrations and displays by Roger Snipes. Celebrating Japan Week. Saturday. River Park Square, Kress Gallery on third floor, 808 W. Main Ave. Free. (509) 363-0304.

Inland Empire Dahlia Society - Tuber Sales. Saturday. 9 a.m., Northwest Seed & Pet, 7302 N. Division Ave. (509) 326-1953.

Pioneer Park Clean Up - Sponsored by Spokane Parks and Recreation Department. Join neighbors and friends to preserve and protect historic Pioneer Park in preparation for Historic Preservation Month held in May. Bring a spring rake and work gloves if you have them. Plan to attend an orientation when you arrive, sign a liability waiver, and get to work. Saturday. 9 a.m.-noon, 507 W. Seventh Ave., corner of Seventh Avenue and Stevens Street. Free. (509) 625-6677.

Plant Sale - 28th annual event presented by the Associated Garden Clubs of Spokane. Saturday. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Manito Park meeting room and adjacent outdoor area, 4 W. 21st Ave., east of the Gaiser Conservatory. (509) 838-3705.

Spring Compost Fair - Hands-on demonstrations, including a hot compost pile and worm bin. Learn about the types of materials used in composting, how to turn a compost pile and how to choose the right bin. Spokane County residents receive a free bin. Saturday. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Finch Arboretum, 3404 W. Woodland Blvd. Free. (509) 625-6800.

The Art of Gardening - Open house presented by WSU Master Gardeners, who will teach creative gardening techniques that will enable every gardener to create their own work of art. Enjoy demonstrations and exhibits on container gardening, water gardens, helpful gardening tools and learn which new cultivars will show up at the garden centers this year. There will be a plant sale of plants grown by Master Gardeners and a yard and garden sale of fun garden and home décor items; an activity room for children and the Plant Clinic will be staffed by Master Gardeners ready to answer individual gardening questions. Saturday. 10 a.m.-2 p.m., County Extension Center, 222 N. Havana St. Free. (509) 477-2048.

Rain Garden Class and Free Plants - Rain gardens are landscape features designed to capture water that might otherwise enter storm sewers, streams or lakes. Beautify your landscape, attract wildlife and protect fish habitat by filtering storm runoff. Class participants will learn how to construct a rain garden and select plants that will thrive in these spots. Instructors are Peggy Watts of Pend Oreille Conservation District, and Carol Mack of WSU Pend Oreille County Extension. Free rain garden plants (red-osier dogwood, wild rose, twinberry, and pink spirea) will be available at the class to qualified participants. To reserve free plants, pre-register for the class by calling or e-mailing cmack@wsu.edu. Monday. 6:30-8:30 p.m., PUD meeting room, Newport. Registration $5 at the door, or free with a nonperishable food bank donation. (509) 447-2401.

Pesticides, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly - By Tim Stein, senior agriculture investigator and field officer for Idaho State Department of Agriculture. Pre-registration is required. Wednesday. 6-8 p.m., Bonner County Extension Office, 4205 N. Boyer, Sandpoint. $10. (208) 263-8511.

Inland Empire Gardeners - Janit Calvo, owner of Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center in Seattle, will present It’s a Small World After All. Learn the tips and tricks to building your own living, miniature garden – in a container or right in your garden. The talk covers a little history of this rejuvenated hobby, an overview of the miniature and dwarf trees and shrubs that are available, the miniature garden bedding plants they use, design tips and the use of miniature garden accessories. Thursday. 6:30-9 p.m., Decades, 10502 E. Sprague Ave. (509) 535-8434.

Inland Empire Dahlia Society - Tuber sales. May 3. 8 a.m., Northwest Seed & Pet, 2422 E. Sprague Ave. (509) 326-1953.

Developing Local Food Systems - Greening our Neighborhood Film Series. May 6. 7-9 p.m., Farm-Eco House, 2605 W. Boone Ave. $1.

Farm-Eco House Dedication and Renaming - Bring seeds or a potted plant for a memorial garden for fallen youth. May 9. 5:30-6:30 p.m., Farm-Eco House, 2605 W. Boone Ave. (509) 280-1702.

Garden Expo 2008 – More than 200 garden-related vendors, plant sellers, crafters, artists, demonstrations and organizations. The exhibits will showcase nurseries, garden stores, suppliers and manufacturers, garden artists and crafters, and horticulture organizations. Presented by the Inland Empire Gardeners. May 10. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Spokane Community College Lair, 1810 N. Greene St. Free admission and parking. (509) 535-8434.

Healing Garden Fundraiser - Strawberry rhubarb-themed tea for Mom, featuring pink and white accents, display of garden-themed quilts, silent auction, baked goods, spring plants and recipes. Garden docents will give tours of the garden and music will accompany the event. May 10. 1-4 p.m., 520 N. Third St., Sandpoint. $5. (208).

Pets

Send a Friend a Goat - Have a real baby goat delivered to your friend’s office, school, meeting, etc. Proceeds benefit Wishing Star Foundation. Call to request day and time for delivery or visit www.wishingstar.org. Runs through today. $75. (509) 744-3411.

Doggie Faire and Adopt-a-thon - Sponsored by the Kootenai Humane Society and Alternative Pet Rescue. Event includes microchipping, training tips, veterinarian vouchers and spay and neuter vouchers. Saturday. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 125 E. Hazel Ave. Free admission, donations appreciated. (208) 667-4606.

Fourth Annual Stallion Showcase and Horse Fair - Exhibitors enjoy free Play Day classes and prizes with their entry fee of $35 or less per horse, arena time to test drive horses for sale and our popular $100 Jackpot Liberty Class Winner Take All where the horses are turned loose to run free. Saturday. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Valley Mission Horse Arena, Bowdish and Mission. Viewing free. (509) 796-2140.