The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce Director Stacey Lane is excited to see the community reconnect at Bald Eagle Days after the last 18 months of the pandemic.

“It’s going to be a great party,” Lane said, “the weather is going to be beautiful. We’re going to have a lot of great vendors. A lot of information. It’s a great reflection of what our county has to offer.”

The annual Kiwanis breakfast was canceled, as was Friday night’s bull riding event in Skamokawa, but on Tuesday, planners were still adding things to do this weekend.

The number of vendors signed up for Saturday has gone up to 60 and the Chamber was still hearing from more, including a food vendor, Sparky’s Walk Up Wagon, which will be at the Elochoman Slough Marina on Saturday and Sunday mornings serving pancakes and biscuits and gravy from 6-10 a.m.

As Saturday progresses, more food vendors will pop up at the marina, including barbecue, wood fired pizza, and Maria’s Taco Stand.

Maria’s Place, The Spar, and Patty Cakes will serve food downtown, and there will be other snack style vendors sprinkled around, including kettle corn, mini-donuts, lemonade and elephant ears.

River Mile 38 will have live music, but there won’t be any live music downtown this year.

Lane is encouraging visitors to check out the shops downtown, most of which are expected to be open.

Tsuga Gallery will have a table set up outside for kids to participate in an art project. There will also be the usual Kid’s Zone, which is always fun, and the Historical Museum will open their doors and offer train rides and root beer floats outside.

It will be busy at Strong Park with the aforementioned entertainment at the museum, and the Columbia River Maritime Museum helping kids build boats. The Pioneer Community Association will be there with an auction of Craig Holmes art, which will be on display, and the new steeple for the Pioneer Community Center. Six other artists will show off their work as well, and vendors will sell lemonade and produce.

“There will be fun stuff all day, all over the place,” Lane said.

They are still getting more applications for the parade. A couple floats are expected, and lots of vintage cars.

On Tuesday, the chamber was hoping to find a spot for the vintage cars to park in town after the parade so people can check them out during the day.

People parked on Main Street and Columbia Street will need to move their cars by 8 p.m. on Friday for the parade. Main Street will open up again on Saturday at 6 p.m., but parking can resume on Columbia Street after the parade.

Following a ribbon cutting on Main Street at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, celebrating the reopening of Cathlamet, the parade begins at noon, starting at Wahkiakum High School, and taking its usual route from Elm Street, left on South 2nd, turning on Alder Street to Columbia Street and all the way down to Main Street. They will continue on to Chester Street, turning left on 2nd Street, and right onto Una Ave, before heading back up the highway to the high school.

Stephanie Olsen will be honored as the Woman’s Club Citizen of the Year, and Tom Irving will be the Grand Marshal.

Fireworks are scheduled for 10 p.m. at the Elochoman Slough Marina.

For more details, see the schedule for Bald Eagle Days advertised elsewhere in the paper.