Bald Eagle Days starts this Friday

Bald Eagle Days 2016 is upon us, and it’s not going to rain, if Paige Lake the Chamber of Commerce executive director and coordinator for the big event has anything to say about it.

She’s been watching the weather for a week. On Tuesday, the 50 percent chance of rain predicted had decreased to 10 percent and the highs were expected to be in the mid 60s.

The first indication of this weekend’s festivities will appear on Thursday evening as signs will be posted warning residents and visitors parked along the parade route to move their vehicles and trailers before 8 a.m. on Saturday. Noncompliance could result in a tow, according to Lake.

“The kids’ events are going to be pretty fabulous,” Lake said. “We even have a double shot basketball game which is designed for teenagers, but the guy at Portland Party Works said that he and his buddies love it too.”

This is Lake’s first year coordinating the 35 year old event, but she has reason to be optimistic.

“We had some great planning meetings for Bald Eagle Days,” she said. “We had eight or nine people attending meetings. Apparently this is the first year it’s been like that in a long time. I hope people are getting excited again about the community. That’s what I’m working for.”

A family geocaching competition is in it’s second year, and this time around, families can participate on Friday and Saturday. There are three official geocaching sites around the county and the organizer, Shannon Britt of the Skamokawa Resort has added travel bugs to the official geocaching sites. The travel bugs are picked up by the finder and taken to their next geocache. The bugs track where they have been and will be expected to move from the area at some point. Britt has also added several more spots to search for treasure in the competition.

“Shannon has some fun prizes for that event,” Lake said. Participants can pick up an entry passport at the Chamber of Commerce office or booth on Friday or Saturday.

Also on Friday, the Ninth Annual Rolly and Ginny Armstrong Memorial Sidewalk Art Contest begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. Participants can begin work on their spaces at 10 a.m.

“The organizer, Martie Vavoudis has got some nice prizes,” Lake said, “That should be fun.”

From 5-7 p.m., the Tsuga Art Gallery will celebrate their sixth birthday and at 7 p.m., if the permit comes through, the doors to the Pioneer Center will open for their first concert since 2014. Skamokawa Swamp Opera will play at 7:30 p.m. and during their musical break, the Robotics Club will do a presentation.

“We’re trying to set that event up as a fundraiser for the Robotics Club,” Lake said. “What the club is doing is just amazing. They are having so much fun with it.”

If the Pioneer Center does not get the go ahead, the concert will be moved to the River Mile 38 Brewery.

Saturday will begin with a Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast from 7-10 a.m.

The Run Walk Challenge has been canceled.

The parade begins at noon, and afterwards there will be music provided by two bands, Hank and Lloyd and Layton and Pam Elliott. The Robotics Club will give another demonstration in front of the Bank of the Cascades.

As for food, Lake says there will be a new hot dog vendor and salmon chowder coming from Astoria.

At 4 p.m., the Cliffs of Cathlamet will play at the River Mile 38 Brewery. At 6:30, The Mutineers, who describe themselves as a folk, punk, americana, pub rock band from Portland, will play.

Fireworks will begin at 10 p.m.

“The weather is going to be good and people are going to have a good time,” Lake said.