Forest Festival returns

The Mason County Forest Festival returns to its full format for the first time in three years, kicking off today with the carnival at a new location on First Street, and culminating with the Shelton Car Show Off and the Duck Race on Sunday.

The COVID pandemic cancelled the event in 2020. Last year, the event was dubbed Timber Days and staged over three weekends in June, July and August. Fittingly, “Back to Our Roots” is the theme of this weekend’s festival.

“We’re excited to be back,” said Amy Cooper, vice president of the Mason County Forest Festival Association. She added, “We’re feeling the energy, we’re feeling this will be a huge festival this year.”

The festival carnival for years has been staged on a lot on Olympic Highway North, but that land was sold, Cooper said. The Mell family offered its lot at 305 First St., next to Cut Rate Auto Parts.

Saturday’s events include the Firefighter’s Pancake Breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m. at the Central Mason Fire & EMS station at 122 W. Franklin St.; the Family and Pet Parade at 10:30 a.m. on West Railroad Avenue; and the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade begins at 11 a.m. on West Railroad Avenue and Franklin Street in downtown Shelton. Lifelong Mason County resident Darrel Andrews, who was selected to be the grand marshal in 2020, will finally get his chance to lead the parade.

Cooper said festival organizers anticipated that COVID would prevent the annual STIHL Timbersports event and scheduled as a substitute four Northwest wood carvers to display their talents and sell their works. But with face mask mandates removed, STIHL Timbersports in March announced its wish to return for its professional Western Qualifier competition, making it a double feature for fans of flying sawdust. The events begin at noon Saturday at Loop Field.

Cooper said patrons can continue the celebration Saturday evening in the Mountain View area at the Rockin’ the Forest concert from 5 to 9 p.m. in the parking lot of Our Community Credit Union at 2948 Olympic Highway North, and then the fireworks display that begins at 10 p.m.

The fireworks will be launched from the grounds of Oakland Bay Junior High School, but the school’s parking lot will be closed, Cooper said. Patrons who park at Fred Meyer and Wal-Mart will get front-row seats.

“We have been told this will be a spectacular fireworks show,” Cooper said.

Sunday’s events include the Shelton Car Show Off from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Olympic Highway North, and the Wood Duck Race that begins at 2 p.m. at the Seventh Avenue bridge over Goldsborough Creek. Kristmas Town Kiwanis presents the 27th annual event. One dollar purchases a wood duck. The first duck to cross the finish line wins the owner $500, followed by prizes of $300, $250, $100 and gift certificates.

The Kristmas Town Kiwanis Club uses the money to support college scholarships and community programs.