Early rain doesn't dampen Bald Eagle Day spirits

The morning rain cleared just in time for the 2016 Bald Eagle Day parade but it may have been enough to keep some people away on Saturday. Still, a crowd held on to line the street and cheer the fire trucks, politicians and floats that traveled through town along the parade route.

The numbers may have been smaller, but if the food vendors, the kids' area and the crowd at the brewery were anything to go by, the event was a success.

"I thought it went really well," Chamber of Commerce Director Paige Lake said. "People were really happy."

Including the food vendors.

"They ran out of food." Lake said. "Even Maria's ran out of food. The smoked salmon chowder from Astoria and the hot dog stand came on Thursday and were set up at the marina when they weren't downtown on Saturday. I'd like to talk more vendors into coming and doing that."

Lake had hoped for more vendors, but some hadn't shown up despite paying for a spot.

"The kids' area was great this year," Lake said. "Melissa Garrett did a fabulous job putting that together. They had to tell the kids they were sorry for shutting it down at 5 p.m."

The kids' area had face painting, water guns, basketball games, a toilet seat horseshoe game and more. There were a lot of happy, energized children running around while their parents tried to keep track of them.

There was greater interest in the geocaching event this year. More than 20 families or teams signed up, as opposed to just nine last year.

"It's a lot of work but it all comes together by itself," Lake said of her first Bald Eagle Days.

She's already thinking about next year.

"Maybe a marching band," she said when someone suggested that the parade needed a little excitement.