Let the countdown to spring begin! It’s the first weekend of March, and there’s lots of fun happening this weekend that’ll get you ready for the warmer months to come.

Mar 3-4

Willy Wonka Jr.

Catch the classic story of Willy Wonka as it hits the stage in this production tailored just for the younger crowd. Sherwood Center for the Arts is hosting this production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka Jr., where we follow mysterious and eccentric candy man Willy Wonka as he stages a contest, bringing five very different children into his factory to win a free tour and a life-time supply of candy. While most of the kids are bratty, one youngster, Charlie, and his grandpa stand out. Join in the fun on this tour of the wild and crazy Wonka world! $14-18, cytportlandvancouver.org

Mar 4

Watershed Restoration Event

Our beloved northwest just wouldn’t be the same without all of its amazing natural features. This weekend, take the opportunity to show your family’s love for the Johnson Creek Watershed by coming out to this watershed-wide restoration event. It will be the Johnson Creek Watershed Council’s largest restoration event this year! Choose one of ten restoration parties that will be at various locations throughout the watershed and get to work weeding, mulching and planting. Plus, there will be a thank-you pizza party for all the hard workers! This is a family-friendly event, and registration is required. Free, jcwc.org

Mar 4

Grow Your Own Strawberries

Al’s Gardening Center loves hosting these fantastic, kid-friendly, fun and educational workshops. Their goal is to engage the little ones in hands-on learning while connecting them with nature—complete with giggles and muddy finger prints! This Saturday, get your little gardeners together and try your hands at growing strawberries. Learn a little lesson about this yummy fruit and then plant your patch in a cool colander container. When summer comes, you’ll all love munching on your delectable harvest! Registration required. $7.50, als-gardencenter.com

Mar 4-5

Portland Saturday Market Official Opening

It’s time to start thawing out, drying off, and heading back outside on your weekends for the Portland Saturday Market! This weekend marks the official opening of the PSM 2017 season, and its 44th anniversary as one of the most distinctly-Portland events in the whole city. Get the family out this weekend and have a blast browsing some of the best local artists and artisans (over 250 vendors!), eat some delectable foods, enter the Instagram contest and enjoy the kids’ activities. Nothing beats a weekend at the Portland Saturday Market! Free, portlandsaturdaymarket.com

Mar 4-5

SE Portland Art Walk

While you’re out at the Portland Saturday Market, you just might get the strolling-the-sidewalks-at-the-art-fair bug, and if you do, just hop on over to the SE Portland Art Walk (of course, you could pick just one, but it’s so hard to choose!). Hawthorne, Clinton, Division and Powell Streets will be filled with over 70 local artists showcasing their work. Artists will either have their own creative spaces set up, or they will showcase their works inside local businesses, giving you the opportunity to tour in and out of lots of cool shops while browsing some of the best artwork in the area. Free, facebook.com/SE-Area-ARTWalk-1516626818575474/