What's Happening at the Fair?

Attention all bingo players! On November 16, at 6 p.m., the Wahkiakum County Fair Board’s Turkey Bingo, held at the J. A. Wendt multi-purpose room, will begin!

There will be two fund raising raffle drawings at the event. One raffle drawing is for multiple prizes and the grand prize raffle is for a Sears barbecue. Tickets are only $1 each for both drawings.

Bingo cards are three for $10. Every bingo winner will receive a turkey or a ham for their prize. You can also purchase some delicious goodies from the kitchen to enjoy during the bingo. This is a fun night for all ages and you just might win your Thanksgiving turkey or ham. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and bingo starts at 6 p.m. Hope to see you tomorrow night (Friday) and wish you all good luck. All proceeds from Wahkiakum County Fair Board fund raising events will be used to fund the 2013 Wahkiakum County Fair.

Need some firewood for next year? For just $1 you can purchase a raffle ticket for a cord of firewood. The winning ticket for this fund raiser will be drawn at the 2013 Wahkiakum County Fair. Tickets will be for sale at the bingo. Thank you to Bryan Ledtke for arranging the information and creating the art work for these tickets.

Over the last few weeks rain storms have been raising the water level and washing logs, branches, toys and all sorts of debris down the slough behind the fairgrounds. Most of it has been washing up against the tide gate in the slough. The blockage of this tide gate can cause the fairgrounds and Skamokawa Grange to flood if the high tides and rain water start adding up too quickly and the tide gate is plugged with debris. Bill Chamberlain has been watching for the debris blockages and cleaning the tide gate. Thank you, Bill, for all your hard work!

We’ve had a few days of freezing temperatures forecast for Wahkiakum County lately; no snow, just cold temperatures. It’s November and the decision was made to shut down the water system at the fairgrounds to protect our pipes from freezing and breaking. We will leave the water on to the bathrooms as long as possible, but when extra cold weather arrives, they will be shut down too.

There is a procedure to follow when it’s time to shut off the fairgrounds water. It’s easier if I have help, as there’s a lot of walking around and opening valves all over the fairgrounds. Former handyman Ed Stevens, now a volunteer, helped get the water system ready for winter. We drained all the pipes and used an air compressor to push the remaining water out of the system. Thank you, Ed, for your help locating all the shut off valves on the fair grounds.

In early 2013 we will be choosing the 2013 Fair theme; if we pick the one you submitted, you will receive two fair passes and two Wahkiakum County Fair T-shirts. Send your theme entry to Wahkiakum County Fair, P.O.Box 1, Skamokawa, WA 98647 or by email to wahkiakumfair@centurytel.net. Last year’s theme was “Hay Bales and Pig Tales.”

The fair office is open by appointment only. If you need to gain access to the fairgrounds, contact Fair Manager Becky Ledtke at 360-795-3480 and leave a message.

The next Wahkiakum County Fair Board meeting is December 12, 7 p.m., at the Wahkiakum County Court House, 3rd floor meeting room in Cathlamet. The public is welcome to attend.