4-H Country Days event promises down-home fun

Wahkiakum 4-H Leaders’ Council and Friends of Extension present their third Annual Columbia River Country Days on October 1 and 2. This one-of-a-kind event raises money for Wahkiakum 4-H youth programs. The event kicks off at 3 p.m. Friday with a Slow Moving Parade with tractors, trucks and all things “slow-moving” progressing from downtown Cathlamet, over the Puget Island Bridge, and ending at the Two Islands Farm Market on East Birnie Slough.

The Two Islands Farm Market will feature an old-time Pie Social, Friday, 3 to 6 p.m, along with live music from the Wahkiakum Acoustic Guitar Society (WAGS). Freshly baked pies are made by 4-H youth and supporters, and usually include favorites such as marionberry and blackberry pies. The farmers will also be offering their usual fresh and local fruits and vegetables.

Saturday’s main event will be a “Lamp Lit Dinner on the Covered Bridge” at 4:30 p.m. on the Grays River Covered Bridge. The dinner is hosted by Wahkiakum 4-H Leaders Council. All proceeds of the dinner will go to 4-H, so that it can continue its work began almost a century ago, with the first 4-H club in the state in 1914. Tickets for the dinner are available at Bank of Pacific in Naselle and Cathlamet; tickets with reserved seat placement are available by calling the Wahkiakum County Extension office at 795-3278.

Saturday events also include “Meet The 4-H’r,” 10 a.m. to noon, at the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds. All are invited to stop by and visit with 4-H youth and their clubs and families. 4-H youth will also have some of their animals there to visit. Wahkiakum County Fair will be having a book sale at the fairgrounds, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a local farm tour is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Maps and details will be available at the WSU Wahkiakum County Extension office in Cathlamet.