Depending on the size of your group, there are accommodations ranging from modest to luxurious. They can cover the spectrum of renting out their facility spaces to handling the entire event.

For smaller groups (i.e. under 30), there are many local restaurants and hotels who have meeting rooms available for rent. This allows for the convenience of menu ordering or in-house catering, smaller group dynamics, and privacy. Roundtable Pizza, the Silverdale Hotel, Tweten’s Lighthouse, Mary Macs, Puerto Vallarta, Howard Johnson’s, the Olive Garden, and Bay Street Diner are but a few offering this option.

If your invite list is along the same lines as above, but you crave an old fashioned venue/decor, try Farmhouse Catering located on Bethel Avenue in Port Orchard. Upon walking into the door, you will be transported back to the days of small town ice cream parlors. The entire facility can be rented for your special event with the option of in-house catering serving high quality, mouth-watering cuisine. Contact Steve Kelso, owner, at 440-7591 for more information.

Two more wonderful establishments for smaller special events are located next door to Farmhouse Catering and across the lot, that being the Victoria Rose Tea Room and Springhouse Dolls and Gifts. Both venues have decors that transport one back into slower-paced days and both provide amenities that make for memorable occasions. Many a successful baby shower, bridal shower, anniversary, and birthday party amongst others have been treasured in these places.

Contact the Victoria Rose Tea Room at 876-5695 and Springhouse Dolls at 876-0529.

If you are planning on a larger group and want to combine the event with the natural beauty of the area, try the Best Western Olympic Lodge in Port Angeles. Originally built eight years ago, it underwent a million dollar remodeling last year. It has 105 rooms, has a built-in heated pool, an all-you-can-eat breakfast, and a private golf course. Many government agencies and corporations hold retreats here.
The Lodge is also popular with pleasure travelers, travel groups, retreat groups, hiking clubs, and tour groups, etc. The recreational activities available at the nearby Olympic National Park are unlimited. Large groups have already booked through the 2002-2003 season, so advanced reservations are highly recommended. Contact the office at (360) 452-2993 for further information.

If outdoor surroundings are your preference for special events, Kitsap offers two highly acclaimed venues.

The first is Kitsap Golf and Country Club (KGCC) located in the Chico Way area. This popular venue offers a multitude of choices for your event ranging from pool rental to ballroom rental. There are two small rooms available for rent — one with a capacity of 60, the other with a capacity of 80. Also available is a tented patio which holds 70 people max. For larger size events, the ballroom is available with a max capacity of 320. There is something for everyone here.

KGCC does not allow any outside catering since they have an in-house gourmet chef from Alaska — named Mark Glendon. He has a fine reputation for excellence and KGCC is very proud to have him aboard.

Even though KGCC does not offer decorations or entertainment, they do refer to others who do — if needed.

Originally dating back 75 years, the current clubhouse has existed for 32 years and provides KGCC with a well-deserved reputation of distinction and community heritage. Contact Linda Sanders, Banquet Coordinator, at (360) 377-0166 for further information.

Another superb outdoors venue is Kiana Lodge. If you are interested in being surrounded by gardens so breathtaking they were featured in Time and Life Magazine, then this is the place for you. Located in the Sandy Hook area (greater Poulsbo vacinity), this facility deals only with conventions and/or weddings. Their grounds consist of 1000 feet waterfront property and their facilities contain two buildings — one a log cabin lodge which holds 40-80, and one a garden atrium which holds 1000 people.

Originally built in the late 1930’s as a beach club (Seattle Beach Country Club), after WWII it began operations as Kiana Lodge. There are no overnight facilities available since day outings are their specialty. There are two wedding coordinators on staff who will make everything easy for the bridal party on their special occasion. To show the popularity of weddings here, Kiana is booked every Saturday in June to August through 2002. In addition, they allow no outside catering and do not offer wedding cakes or hard liquor.

For conventions, a wonderful convenience is provided by Kiana through Kenmore Air by flying potential customers (along with Kiana’s Seattle-based planners) into their facility to become acquainted with what they have to offer. If parties are interested in the ‘water scene,’ Kiana contracts with two charter boats — RUC and Waterways. These ‘cruises’ take approximately 1-1/2 hours and provide for much beauty, enjoyment, and relaxation.

Kiana’s specialty is a two-hour salmon barbecue whereby all guests can enjoy the mesmerizing grounds along with the fantastic cuisine. Kiana is very proud of the fact that its business is derived mainly from word-of-mouth referrals — the best kind. Contact them at (360) 598-4311 for more information.

For closer to home venues, events on a larger scale (i.e. 1000 people) would find the historic Admiral Theatre to their liking. This visiting site of Theodore Roosevelt during the 1940’s was built in 1942 and was totally remodeled and restored in 1997. With the main floor holding around 300 people and the balcony holding around 500, your event is sure to make for happy memories.

Various corporate holiday parties have been held here along with a touring children’s show known as ‘Evergreen Children’s Theatre’. Other events held here have included Peninsula Dance Theatre, Habitat for Humanity plus Boy’s and Girl’s Club auctions, Navy League (installation of military personnel), and many more. Everything from start to finish can be taken care of for you by the Admiral Theatre with respect to your special event. Contact Brian Johnson, Business Manager, at (360) 373-6810.

For events of the largest scale, the Fairgrounds Pavilion is what you are looking for. Located on the Kitsap County Fairgrounds, this venue consists of 43,000 square feet and can hold 46,000 people. (There also is the President’s Hall consisting of 20,000 square feet, capable of holding one thousand.) Past events at the Pavilion include the RV Rally, Job Fair, Kitsap County Federal Credit Union’s Car Sale, Rotary Club auction, and Harrison Hospital’s Festival of Trees.

The Pavilion is rented out and parties can also rent staging, equipment, tables/chairs, draperies, etc. Reservations are recommended at least one year in advance. Contact Debby Baker at (360) 337-7051.

(Editor’s Note: Marie Buckner is a freelance writer. Contact her at (360) 613-1085.).