Bald Eagle festival turns up the heat

There was one thing most everyone could agree about on Bald Eagle Day 2015.

"It was hot," Chamber of Commerce Director Shannon Gildea said on Tuesday. Just 10 days earlier she had been worried about a forecast for rain. No chance. There wasn't even a cloud in the sky.

Groups of people were punctuated by sunlight as they sought shade under trees that lined the parade route. One family had the foresight to set up a canopy in front of their home. The more resilient set out chairs in the sun.

Kids ran down candy tossed from vehicles and floats, and emergency responders gave away water bottles and freezer pops as they walked along the route which led from the school and down the hill, through town and on to the marina.

Parade participants celebrated the local history and resources with the theme of The Mighty Mighty Columbia River.

After the parade, hundreds of people flooded Main Street to check out the wares, buy lunch or something cold to drink and to visit with friends and family.

At the Sons of Norway booth, the ladies sold lefse, told lies or anything you wanted to hear just so you'd buy more lefse, and shared some laughs.

Adults and youth lined up for a chance to hit the target at the dunk tank and send a high school student into the drink. On such a hot day, the clear winner was the person getting wet.

Nearby, children ran and jumped at a velcro wall while dressed in colorful velcro suits. They quickly learned which suit worked better than the others and patiently took turns wearing it.

Later that day, Purefusion, the band playing at River Mile 38 Brewery's beer garden tried to wait out the heat. They started an hour later than scheduled and the beer garden crowd grew as the sun went down.

A sliver of a moon and bright shining Venus fell below the horizon a little after 10 p.m. and the fireworks began, marking the end of another great Bald Eagle Day in Cathlamet.