Local News

July 12, 2007
Organizers of Cathlamet's Bald Eagle Festival are working hard to bring a variety of entertainment and activity to town July 20-22.
The festival's theme is "Celebrating a Century," which marks the 100th year of the incorporation of the Town of Cathlamet.
The festival features a street dance on Friday evening; a parade, street fair, street dance and fireworks show on Saturday, and the Wooden Boat Festival with US Coast Guard rescue helicopter visit on Sunday.

Friday night starts out with a live music show at the marina with a band called Voodoo Highway visiting from the Seattle area.
The band is comprised of six seasoned musicians who play classic rock and roll. Their repertoire spans over 45 years of rock and roll from the 1960's to present.
There will also be a beer garden for those age 21 and over. Music will go from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

The Saturday schedule starts at 9:30 a.m. with the Bald Eagle Challenge, a run-walk sponsored by Wahkiakum High School track and cross country teams. Runners and walkers will have 2-mile, 5k and 10k courses starting at the Puget Island Bridge. Registration starts at 9 a.m. near the bridge in Cathlamet.
On Main Street, the street fair starts at 10 a.m. and will last till 5 p.m. The parade starts at 11 a.m. There will be lots of kid's area activities, bounce houses, old fashioned pictures and more.
The Wahkiakum Historical Society is planning interactive displays on Saturday. People will be able to climb on the logging steam locomotive, and there will be a photographer to take pictures of people on the train or in pioneer clothing inside the museum.
Skamokawa musician Sunrise Fletcher is organizing the "Skamokawa Festival Orchestra" for a performance Saturday evening before the fireworks show at the Elochoman Slough Marina. The orchestra, he said, consists of people who have performed in a Friends of Skamokawa play. The core band will be Fletcher on guitar and vocals, Astoria drummer Dave Graves; Puget Island resident Randy Williams, guitar and vocals; Cameron Collins, keyboard and vocals; Ivana Johnson, percussion and Jim Miller, trumpet.
"We are also inviting singers to perform their FOS play songs," Fletcher said Tuesday. "For this event we will mostly be playing classic rock."
The orchestra will play from 6:30-9 p.m. Fireworks begin at 9:45 p.m.

On Sunday, activity focuses on the Elochoman Slough Marina with its Wooden Boat Festival.
There will also be a barbecue, craft fair and swap meet.
The US Coast Guard will demonstrate a helicopter rescue, and afterward, the helicopter will land at the Cathlamet schools for public visits.

Jennifer A. Johnson, executive director of the Wahkiakum County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Information Center, said organizers are seeking parade entries and vendors for the Saturday events. People wishing to reserve a street fair booth should contact Johnson at the chamber office, 795-9996.
Parade entries are due this Saturday at the office of the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce. They are also available via e-mail, wchamber@cni.net, or for pick-up at the chamber office.