The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG – The countdown is on! With less than six weeks until the big event, Waitsburg Celebration Days is shaping up to be a fun-filled weekend.

Waitsburg’s 150th anniversary celebration, on May 15-17, is sure to have something for everyone. Local legislators, including Senator Mike Hewitt, Representative Terry Nealey and Representative Maureen Walsh, along with Lt. Governor Brad Owen, will join in the festivities.

The weekend gets an early start with a Classic Car Cruise down Main Street on Friday night, followed by a family movie at the Plaza Theater. Celebration Days kicks off officially on Saturday morning, May 16, with a Kiddie Parade at 9:45 a.m., followed by the Waitsburg Celebration Days Parade at 10 a.m. Entries are still encouraged and forms may be found at http://www.cityofwaitsburg.com/events.html or by calling Gwen Gobel at (509) 337-9177.

The Tri-Cities Steel Band Association will perform on their steel drums following the parade, prior to a dedication of the new historical Main Street Art sculptures, which will take place at noon in front of City Hall. The annual Classic Car Show, with local entertainment and cuisine, will run through the afternoon at Preston Park, and Kid’s Games will take place from 12-2 p.m.

Waitsburg’s American Legion will sponsor the Waitsburg MicroBrew Festival in Town Hall from 12-5 p.m. Seven breweries are signed up for the event including: Burwood Brewing Company, Chief Springs Fire & Irons Brew Pub, Dragon’s Gate Brewery, Hermiston Brewing Company, Laht Neppur Brewing Company, Paradise Creek Brewery and Riverport Brewing. Tickets are on sale for $15 at Laht Neppur Brewery in Waitsburg and the price includes a commemorative Celebration Days glass.

Participants in the Karen Huwe Mohney Memorial ATV Ride will leave the fairgrounds at 1 p.m. and are expected to return – with a run through the fairgrounds mud pit – between 3-4 p.m.

Nine Touchet Valley fire departments have been invited to participate in a Fireman’s Challenge, to begin at 2 p.m at the Fairgrounds. Teams of four firefighters will compete in four events, including a Dress’N Squirt, Barrel Roll, Bucket Brigade and a Mystery Event. The winning team will receive a traveling trophy to be passed on to next year’s winner.

An ATV Challenge with prizes for top performers, will take place at the fairgrounds from 3-5 p.m.

Waitsburg’s popular Burgers, Band and Brews event will begin with the Lion’s Club serving burgers from 5-8 p.m. The Walla Walla band Onion City will headline and kick off the dancing at 6 p.m. FrogHollow Band will take the stage from 8 p.m. to midnight. A limited number of tickets are available and on sale now for $10 for the meal/dance (21 and over) and $7 for meal only. Contact Wendy Richards at (509) 337-6323.

The celebration weekend will wrap up on Sunday morning with Cowboy Church at Preston Park followed by a Duck Derby. Organizers hope to dedicate the new Wait’s Mill Park, located at the former Wait’s Mill site, following the Duck Derby.