Itching to get out of town? Does a weekend drive to a tiny town with two bakeries and a chicken parade — a tongue-in-beak sort of event — appeal to your sense of what you like to do with your spare time?

Why leave town: Because February is only the halfway point of winter and a road trip for baked goods is always worthwhile. And if you haven't been to Edison, you don't know what "small town" means.

What's going on: The "First Annual" Edison Bird Festival, in conjunction with the annual Skagit Flats Hawk Census.

When and where: Feb. 11-12, in Edison, Skagit County.

What to expect: Two days of demonstrations by local artists who paint and carve images of birds, along with talks by experts on snowy owls and falcons, a live-bird demonstration by the Woodland Park Zoo Raptor Center, and free birding tours of the Skagit Valley with North Cascades Institute.

What's special: OK, we kind of gave it away. They're having a Saturday morning chicken parade. Or, to be specific, it's the "Keep Your Chicken In Line" Chicken Parade, an event name that gives most of the ground rules, since domesticated fowl aren't widely known for their parade discipline. Also in the official parade instructions: "Herd your chicken from one end of Edison to the other." (Read: The parade will last five minutes.) And, "The winning chicken will earn major bragging rights." (Read: There are no prizes.) Before or after the parade, gird yourself with breads, pastries and cookies from the Farm to Market Bakery or — our award winner for Bakery With a Name Most Befitting an Agricultural Community — the Breadfarm.

More details: See www.edisonbirdfestival.com.