The Helvetia Lavender Festival is back to celebrate 18 years. (Submitted by Helvetia Lavender Festival)

The Helvetia Lavender Festival is back to celebrate 18 years, and with it comes all the sights, sounds and, of course, smells of summer.

Kicking off the Independence Day celebrations, the annual event will be held in the first two weekends of July: July 4-6 and July 11-13. Every year, this festival draws crowds of more than 5,000 people from all over Washington County to the floral fields of Helvetia.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Weekend activities will feature vendors, live music performances, delicious food, and last but not least, loads of lavender. From sharing art and culture to lavender oil demonstrations, chances are, the Helvetia Lavender Festival has it for you.

The festival was originally founded by farm owners Don and Nancy Miller as a way to promote lavender and bring visitors out to the farm. This annual jumping jamboree also serves as a way to raise money for Samaritan Ministries in Ukraine — a nonprofit started by Don Miller which has supported the people of Ukraine since 1993, seeking to provide safe homes for widows and encouraging social enterprise development within the region.

The festival will include an array of vendors, many of whom will be selling lavender products and Ukrainian art. There will be food available for purchase, wine tasting, as well as a kids play area which offers fishing, target shooting and face painting.

Those attending are welcome to enjoy the lush private gardens and sip tea while overlooking the Willamette Valley. And if that’s not enough, the live music lineup includes local musicians, as well as Ukrainian singers.

“The Lavender Festival has become a crowd favorite, full of tradition, for so many in the area and beyond,” farm owner Tim Miller said. “We plan year-round to include something new and make each Lavender Festival a memorable mid-summer getaway for returning and new visitors alike.”

Admission costs $10 per adult; children under 13 get free admission, and parking is free. Tickets can be purchased online at helvetialavenderfarm.com or at the entrance gate.

The Helvetia Lavender Farm is located at 12814 N.W. Bishop Road in Helvetia.