The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG - Remember what Preston Park looked like during Cycle Oregon?

There were vendors selling everything from veggies to T-shirts. There was a beer garden and live music. There were cyclers getting their picture taken with Izzy the camel.

It was a fun, festive sight that made you want to stop and pull over on your way through town on Highway 12 or 124.

Now a small group of local organizers wants to create such an attraction at the park every Friday evening and may get some help from the city for its goal to create a permanent seasonal farmer's market plus.

Mayor Walt Gobel said he will propose to the council Wednesday that the city make some staff time available to help create and sustain the community management structure for what the group is calling "Fridays In The Park" that would include the "Wait's Market" concept for vendors from last year.

The city similarly made deputy clerk Kelly Steinhoff available last year to help manage the hosting of Cycle Oregon, one of the town's most successful events.

The council paved the way for regular use of the park when it passed an ordinance last year allowing for permits of regularly scheduled "special events" in Preston Park.

Members of the small group behind the idea said "Fridays At The Park" would be more than a farmer's market open to vendors from throughout the Touchet and Walla Walla valleys.

It would seek to recreate and possibly add to the festive atmosphere around Cycle Oregon, using Izzy as one of its attractions but also attempt to get jugglers on stilts, face painting, more movies after dark and other activities that would give visitors from out of town reasons to spend some time in Waitsburg.

The hope is that these visitors would also patronize restaurants and businesses in the downtown area, organizers said.

They said a communitysupported infrastructure would be needed soon to start the market in May, including volunteers, stage and sound equipment and a vendor management system.

Cycle Oregon brought in its own stage equipment and beer garden. The musicians and vendors were local.

Most vendors at Wait's Market reported an average of about $500 in proceeds during Cycle Oregon, said Deanne Johnson, who managed that aspect of the event.

Though "Fridays At The Park" wouldn't have the same captive audience, interest and momentum it could grow quickly since the park is right along the major eastwest thoroughfares, organizers said.

For more information, call Deanne Johnson at 509- 337-6145.

Organizing Meeting

3 p.m.Thu., March 17 Johnsons' Home 121 W. 5th St. Waitsburg