Country Days start Friday

The Columbia River Country Days celebration gets under way tomorrow (Friday) at 2:30 p.m. with travelers boarding the trolley for a slow ride across the bridge to Puget Island. The slow-moving parade, featuring the Trolley Wahkiakum, old-time vehicles, tractors, big-rigs, and trucks related to harvesting in SW Washington, will wind down Cathlamet’s Main Street, its destination being the farmer’s market. The market is ready to serve, and the pumpkins are ready to view.

Participants are to meet at 2:30 p.m. at the Elochoman Marina, leave the marina at 2:45 and parade through Cathlamet--horns blowing--and cross the bridge to Puget Island and the Farmer’s Market, 59 W. Birnie Slough Road. An incentive, free hamburgers, chips and pop will go to all who take part. Big-rigs and trailers should park just past the market. Smaller vehicles may enter the market parking area. For more information, contact Rob Stockhouse

Two Islands Farm Market invites parents to bring children to ride the “Pumpkin” Train Friday (3 to 7 p.m.) and Saturday (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Stockhouse’s Pumpkin Patch will be open Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday from 10 to 1. p.m.

Friday happenings will end with a visit to the wine shop for a wine and chocolate fete. Tickets may be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce in the Scarborough building. Also on display at the wine shop is a painting which will be given in a drawing.

Saturday morning’s events will begin at 10 a.m. with tours of Wahkiakum farms. Maps are available as a guide to five farms hosting visitors. Farm animals and farm produce will be on view at Crippen Creek Farm, Skamokawa; Wooden Bridge Farm, Skamokawa; Little Island Farm, Little Island; Stockhouse’s Farm, Puget Island; and Aegerter Dairy, Puget Island.

Also starting at 10 a.m. on Puget Island, the Howard Brawn farm will be hosting an AKC Lure coursing field trial. The competition is among sight hounds ranging from giant Irish Wolfhounds, whippets, greyhounds to tiny basenjis. The public is welcome to attend.

Saturday at noon, the Wahkiakum High School junior class will offer a pie social in the Hotel Cathlamet. Jordyn Wirkkala is the contact person.

At the Skamokawa fairgrounds in the Youth building on Saturday noon, the Skamokawa Grange is selling snacks and concessions. Following at 2 p.m. Auctioneer Brian McClain will conduct an old-time auction. Those with good sale items may call Sharon Dancie 795-6120.

Activities in Grays River include a gourmet, one-seating dinner served in the lamp-lit Covered Bridge at 4:30 p.m. Mark Bernetich , an award-winning Portland chef, has volunteered to be in charge of preparing the dinner.. Menu will include a salmon entrée, a chicken entree, corn, bread and blueberry buckle. Seating is limited, and tickets are nearly sold out, so those interested should contact Paula Carlson as soon as possible, 849-4000. A promised treat at the dinner will be a wandering minstrel, Jeff Reynolds, playing violin music.

Wahkiakum on the Move and the St. James bus will operate a shuttle beginning at 3:45 Saturday afternoon running continuously between the parking lot of the Grays River Café, the Meserve Park and the Covered Bridge. The ride in the shuttle bus will take passengers right to the entrance of the bridge.

In the evening at 7 p.m., Grays River Grange is hosting a Grange Dance and a pie social.

The harvest celebration has been planned to feature rural Wahkiakum County with the focus on farming and the Extension Service’s history of helping farmers and introducing Wahkiakum youth to the 4-H program and all it can offer.