Annual Columbia River Country Days adds new events

The weekend of October 2nd and 3rd will mark the 8th annual Columbia River Country Days. This event was initiated by local volunteers to celebrate Wahkiakum County and to raise money and awareness for WSU Extension and 4-H.

The event kicks off Friday with a Pie Social at 3 pm, and live music by Kyleen Austin and Andrew Emlen at the Puget Island Farmers Market. Pies are homemade by 4-H families and volunteers.

Saturday is a full day and starts with milking at 7 am at the Skamokawa Farmstead Creamery at 1681 SR-4. The creamery will be open until 4:30 pm for visitors to meet the goats and farmers too. Also in Skamokawa, the Wahkiakum Fair Foundation’s flea market will offer a variety of wares from several vendors, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. They will also be operating their cider press, and encourage visitors to bring their apples to press into this special fall treat.

The weekend culminates in the Gray’s River Covered Bridge Dinner, with seating at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The dinner will feature Columbia River salmon caught by local gillnetters, Mickey Bates’ chicken marsala, Carol Ervest’s pickled beets, locally grown roasted potatoes and winter squash, and Lois Wakefield’s pumpkin cake for dessert. As always, WSU Cougar Gold cheese will be served with bread along with the meal.

The evening’s entertainment will feature violin music by Jeffrey Reynolds, and cowboy poetry by Joel Fitts. The evening will end with an old time auction of local arts and crafts, with Mr. Fitts as auctioneer.

Tickets for the dinner are limited, and are available at the Bank of Pacific in Cathlamet and Naselle. The dinner seating is first come first seated. Tickets are $35 for adults, and $25 for seniors, children and veterans. All proceeds from the dinner go to the Wahkiakum 4-H Youth Development program. Parking for the dinner is available on the south side of the Covered Bridge. There will not be a shuttle this year, and parking is limited. Carpooling is encouraged.

We hope you can join us for all or part of this truly Wahkiakum-grown weekend! It is created, sustained and made unique by local folks volunteering together to celebrate Wahkiakum County.