Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Rain doesn't dampen fun
The Carnival and Logging Show were once again two of the most popular things to do and see at the 80th annual Mason County Forest Festival, held Thursday to Sunday in downtown Shelton.
Crowds lined both sides of West Railroad Avenue on Saturday morning to watch the annual Paul Bunyan Parade.
Heavy rainfall didn't prevent thousands of people from converging on Shelton for the 80th annual Mason County Forest Festival from Thursday through Sunday.
"Overall, I think it was a fantastic event," said Amy Cooper, vice president of the Mason County Forest Festival Association. The inaugural Smokey's Birthday Party event Friday evening in the Shelton Civic Center parking lot, co-hosted by KMAS, drew a large crowd that enjoyed birthday cake, axe throwing and photo opportunities with Smokey the Bear himself. "That went off better than imagined," Cooper said.
The Paul Bunyan Grand Parade on Saturday featured 98 entries and included the appearance of 30 to 40 former royalty court members. "It was one of our biggest parades," Cooper said. At the Logging Show Saturday at Loop Field, Erin Lavoie was the overall women's winner, David Moses the overall men's winner.
A steady downpour on Sunday put a damper on the 34th annual Shelton Car Showoff on Olympic Highway North; about three blocks that were closed for the event had no cars or vendors at all.
"Unfortunately, we only had about 60 cars," Cooper said, adding that the event usually features 350 to 400 vehicles. The event raises money for the Shelton NJROTC program. Anyone who wants to make a donation to the program can go to the festival website and click on "About" and then "Shelton Car Showoff."
The steady rainfall caused the Goldsborough Creek to rise, forcing the cancellation of the Kristmas Town Kiwanis' 29th annual Wood Duck Race on the creek from 7th to First Street. Participants paid $1 for a numbered duck, and Boy Scouts with nets usually catch them at the finish line. Instead, the group drew the numbers like a traditional raffle. Emma Cloud's duck No. 3,617 won the top prize of $500, and Seth Kruger's duck no. 1,292 was second with $250.
At the Shelton City Council meeting on Tuesday evening, City Manager Mark Ziegler praised the efforts of all the volunteers who made the festival possible. He also noted that the members of the city council were wet by the end of their appearance in the parade.
"It was great seeing people out in our community, seeing our downtown," he said.
The final Forest Festival event for the summer is the Royalty Party on July 14.
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