The Purple Ridge Lavender Festival has grown each year since it began in 2000, providing more support to people in need.

Six years ago, Sheri Konningrud said she and her husband were looking for a cause to support with a festival at their lavender farm on Bridge Road west of Hermiston. After working with Agape House through the family’s other business, Pea Ridge Embroidery & Signs, Konningrud said they felt the charitable organization would be a perfect fit.

“It’s a great cause,” she said of Agape House. “(The festival is) something we really like to do for the community.”

The event allows people to pick lavender, buy lavender products and try lavender-infused food and beverages, while enjoying live music, an art show, a quilt expo and more. People can taste lavender beer from Hermiston Brewing Company and wine from Sno Road Winery.

The festival costs $10 for general admission and $12 for wine and beer tasting admission, and all of the proceeds benefit Martha’s House, a homeless family shelter operated by Agape House.

Dave Hughes, the executive director of Agape House, said the shelter opened in 2013 and has capacity for eight to 10 families. He said families can stay for three to six months to get back on their feet and about 75 families have used the shelter.

“We’re able to graduate about 60 to 70 percent of our people into more traditional living, basically other apartment complexes in town,” he said. “We’ve been moderately successful.”

Hughes said some of the people have difficulty adopting structure, such as getting up in the morning and looking for work, so they are taught the skills to help them in the future. He said they are required to look for work and volunteer for nonprofit organizations to build social skills.

“It helps return some people who are burdensome to society back to being productive members of society,” he said. “If they can find a place to live and get a job, they become productive members of society. That’s the biggest thing: We hope to make people part of the community so they feel there is a reason to be part of a community.”

Hughes said funding from the Lavender Festival helps pay for all of the necessities, such as 24-hour staffing, insurance, water, sewer and electricity. Last year, he said, the festival donated more than $7,000.

“Donations to nonprofits are declining and we encourage people to come enjoy the festival and ensure we can continue to serve the community through this program,” he said.

9 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 27 at Purple Ridge Lavender, 29081 Bridge Road, Hermiston

10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Wine/beer tasting

2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Sno Road Winery tasting

Live music

10 a.m. to 11 a.m.: BBPD Power Duo

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Cruise Control

2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Nancy & Bill

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Rock Blythe & Two Faced Johnny

A variety of artists will be showing their work, and some will be selling it as well at the sixth annual Purple Ridge Lavender Festival.

Artists include:

• Gayle Weatherson, Silver Thistle Design, jewelry

• Melissa P. Stradley, Photographic Art & Sports Photography

• Pola Galindo, Pola’s Glass Art

• Laurie Ellis, Unicomer Designs, paintings and face-painting

• Jan Beitel, Jan Beitel Studio Gallery, watercolor and acrylic paintings

• Brandi Dayton, paintings

• Tina Murphy, 2 Cool Creations Jewelry

• Virginia Harris, watercolor paintings

• Ken Harris, photography