Get Out: Weekend Planner

It’s Thursday or Friday (depending on when you read this), and you’ve got no idea what you’ll do for the weekend.

Sammamish Patch is coming to the rescue. We’ve got the best bets on the Eastside for your done-with-work-get-me-outta-here time. Check our picks for the activities to hit and new establishments to explore.

For this weekend, Sammamish Patch is allocating space to Redmond's Derby Days - which start at 6 p.m. Friday. Why? Well, we at Sammamish Patch know that many residents along East Lake Sammamish Parkway or on the Plateau go to Redmond for shopping, activities and work.

So, in honor of Redmond's annual summer festival, here are some of Derby Days' top events.

Friday Night Live

• Where/When: 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at the campus
• Why Go: Kick off Derby Days with an evening of live music featuring the sounds of Creme Tangerine, a Beatles cover band, and Nearly Dan, a Steely Dan cover band. Feeling thirsty? and will be serving local beer and wine in the beer garden near the main stage.
• Pricing: Admission is free

• Where/When: 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the , 8450 161st Ave. NE.
• Why Go: Start your Derby Days Saturday right by enjoying an all-you-can-eat feast of pancakes, sausage, eggs, orange juice and coffee. Kids will have a chance to explore some of the department's big rigs and pose in real firefighter gear. A silent auction will also be held to benefit the firefighters' benevolent fund.
• Pricing: Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.

Kids Parade and Grand Parade

• Where/When: The Kids Parade begins at 10 a.m., and the Grand Parade follows immediately afterward. Both parades start at the Redmond Medical Center on Northeast 83rd Street and 161st Avenue Northeast and end at . Click here for a map.
• Why Go: Parades are a tradition at Derby Days. In the Kids' Parade, local children decorate their bicycles to roll in style. The Grand Parade, a Derby Days feature since the 1950s, includes colorful floats, bands and other entertainment.  
• Pricing: Free

Fireworks Finale

• Where/When: 10 p.m. Saturday at
• Why Go: Didn't get enough fireworks over the holiday weekend? Don't miss the big show this Saturday evening. The event serves as the conclusion to the Derby Days festivities.
• Pricing: Free 

The festival includes several other fun activities that will keep attendees occupied all weekend, including the criterium bike race, the 10th-annual RedSkate skateboarding competition and the Derby Days Dash 5k. For complete information on all the Derby Days events, visit http://www.redmondderbydays.com.

Swedish Medical Center Issaquah Highlands Community Celebration

• Where/When:10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday at 751 NE Blakely Dr. in Issaquah
• Why Go:Area residents will be able to see one of the largest medical facilities (Swedish/Issaquah) in the Issaquah area. There will be kids activities, too. This year's Highland Days will be at the same location.
• Pricing: Free

Editor's note: This edition of Get Out: Weekend Planner includes information from Redmond Patch. Have a look at that site to get the latest news and information about the neighbor to the north of Sammamish.