This weekend we will mark the 7th annual Columbia River Country Days. This event was initiated by local volunteers to celebrate Wahkiakum County and to raise money and awareness for WSU Extension and 4-H.

Friday kicks off with a Pie Social and live music at the Puget Island Farmers Market, with pies made by 4-H families and volunteers.

Saturday will feature a 4-H Open House at the fairgrounds, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and culminates in the main event, the Grays River Covered Bridge Dinner, with seating at 4:30 p.m. The dinner will feature fall chinook salmon caught by gillnetter Mike Backman, Mickey Bates’ pork loins with a pineapple glaze, roasted potatoes grown by Brandon Novoselic, romano beans grown by Stockhouses Farm, pickled carrots grown by Jan Wolfe, pickled beets grown by Zimmermans Farm, Lois Wakefield’s apple cake made with apples grown by Bill Karwoski, and WSU’s Cougar Gold cheese served with artisan bread.

The evening’s entertainment will feature violin music by Jeffrey Reynolds, and cowboy poetry by Joel Fitts. The evening will end with an old time auction of local arts and crafts, with Mr. Fitts as auctioneer.

Parking for the dinner will be at Johnson Park, with shuttles running to the Covered Bridge. Parking for seniors and disabled will also be available on the south side of the Covered Bridge. Tickets for the dinner are limited, and are available at the Bank of Pacific in Cathlamet and Naselle. The dinner seating is first come first seated. Tickets are $35 for adults, and $25 for seniors, children and veterans. All proceeds from the dinner go to the Wahkiakum 4-H Youth Development program.

We hope you can join us for all or part of this truly Wahkiakum-grown weekend! It is created, sustained and made unique by local folks volunteering together to celebrate Wahkiakum County.