The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Annual community event takes a step back in time

WAITSBURG – On the third Sunday of each September, Waitsburg takes a step back in time to celebrate history with its one-of-a-kind Pioneer Fall Festival. This year's 45th annual celebration, to take place on Sun., Sept. 17, is shaping up nicely.

The festival will begin at 11 a.m. with the traditional non-denominational church service held on the Bruce House Museum lawn. Waitsburg Christian Church pastor Matt Wyatt will officiate. Pioneers of the Year, Dorne and Dorothy Hall will be recognized by Waitsburg Historical Society President Richard Hinds, following the service, at noon.

After the ceremony, guests can tour the museum campus filled with vendor booths, skills demonstrations, music, games, and historical displays. Local artisans will demonstrate skills such as candle making, wood carving, sack sewing, spinning and blacksmithing.

The third annual Laurette McCaw Pie-oneer Fall Festival Pie Baking Contest will get underway at 12:15. "Waitsburg Pie Expert" Jack McCaw will judge entries alongside Christian Church Pastor Matt Wyatt and Presbyterian Church Pastor Brett Moser.

Festival attendees will be able to purchase bites or slices of pie and whole pies. Waitsburg auctioneer, Gary Thomas, will sell whole pies in an auction at 1 p.m. This is the third year for the contest that is sponsored by Friends of the Waitsburg Pool. Funds are used for lifeguard training, pool equipment, repairs and amenities. It's not too late to enter and applications may be picked up at Waitsburg Grocery.

Throughout the day, visitors can take tours of the 1883 Victorian Bruce House Museum, which was restored by the Waitsburg Historical Society and community volunteers in 1971. The museum features historically accurate rooms filled with original furniture and décor and period antiques, many donated by local families.

A model of Wait's Mill will be on display and guests can visit a vintage school room in the carriage house. Antique carriages, farm equipment, and tools will be on display on the museum lawn. Children can enjoy old-fashioned games on the lawn at 1 p.m. and the popular vintage style show will take place in front of the museum at 2:30 p.m.

Throughout the afternoon, area musicians will perform both in the Bruce House parlor and on the outside stage. Main stage bands will perform everything from bluegrass, to gospel, to barbershop quartet. Guests will enjoy the many vintage cars lining the street in front of the museum and can take a free ride on a horse-drawn carriage, courtesy of A.J. Carriage Rides.

And, of course, there will be plenty of food and treats. Tim Warehime will man the grill for the historical society, serving up the traditional buffalo burgers as well as offering hamburgers for the first time, for folks watching their budget. The Whoop 'em Up Café will return with their famous Gumbo and will offer a vegetarian soup, both served with cornbread muffins.

The Waitsburg Presbyterian Church will be on site selling hot dogs and nachos and Relay for Life will be ready to serve up ice cream to go with those pies!

Front Stage Line-Up:

Noon – 12:30 Grandma & The Boy

12:30 – 12:45 Waitsburg Quartet

12:45 – 1:00 Cowboy Poetry & Music

1:00 – 1:30 Pie Auction

1:30 – 2:00 Jasper Mountain

2:00 – 2:30 Switchgrass Delta

2:30 – 3:00 Vintage Style Show

3:00 – 4:00 bIG fONT