Whoa, school’s starting already?! Weekends are suddenly that much more precious. Start the back to school season off right with festivals of Italian culture, thousands upon thousands of flowers, or model trains.

Aug 27-29

Festa Italiana

Experience Italian and Italian American culture at Pioneer Square. Nonstop musical and dance entertainment, yummy food like pizza, pasta, cannolis, and gelato, wine and beer gardens, and kids’ activities. Free, festa-italiana.org

Aug 28-30

2015 National Train Show

Check out the latest in model train engineering and learn from the world’s best manufacturers. Marvel at intricate modular layouts and try your hand at building at the Incredible LEGO Mini Land or through hands-on demonstrations by masters. $7-14, kids under 6 free, nationaltrainshow.com

Aug 29

Emily Martin Release Party

Come meet artist Emily Winfield Martin as she releases her new book, The Wonderful Things You Will Be! Eat yummy cupcakes and pick up a signed copy of the beautifully illustrated book. Free, greenbeanbookspdx.com

Aug 29

Geocaching Adventure at The Oregon Garden

Combine the fun of scavenger hunts with appreciating the great outdoors. Learn about the basics of geocaching, then grab a GPS and hunt for objects in the Garden to complete a Garden Passport. $10-15 (free for members), registration required, facebook.com/events/1648803538671338/

Aug 29-31

89th Annual Dahlia Festival

Celebrate these vibrant and beautiful flowers! Over 400 floral arrangements and over 15,000 cut dahlias will be on display. Enjoy live music and food booths, as well as balloon artists and face painting for the kiddos. Free, dahlias.com