Tonasket All roads lead to Tonasket Tonasket is a vigorous town with people that like to work hard, as well as play hard. Many of the community’s events reflect this relationship between labor and leisure. Tonasket, with a population of 1,000, is nestled in the Okanogan Valley approximately 20 miles south of the U.S.-Canadian border. It is the center of a large agricultural area, with apples, cattle and timber being the most prevalent products. The Founder’s Day Rodeo and Parade begins on Friday, June 3 with the Jeremy Ives Memorial Bull Riding. The Founders Day Grand Parade is on Saturday, June 4. from throughout the Following the parade it’s back to the rodeo and machines compecounty. With compe grounds south of town for more bulls. titions for both men The Tonasket Father’s Day Flyand women, the In begins on Saturday, event is a big hit June 18 with a with the kids. … n barbecue and conoga know Okan u e To n as k et is o h t y tinues on Saturday, f ket o Did onas T intersected by f June 19 with a piie h ow: ter C igh/L S t a t e H i g hed af H lot’s breakfast and the m e r a N ratu le empe ways 97 and t r 21st fly-in during which e peop umm ches ring/s 20. Highway kids under 12 years old .05 in ge sp F 1 a : r n e v 2 io t d A 3 . a n 7 it a 97, an infly free. F/4 recip iking 77.88 mer p ountain b m ternational u s The Okanogan River ,m ing/ e spr ing, hiking g a r r o a d w a y, e v h Garlic Festival, held in A fis ities: links the Activ August at History Park, is g huntin town with one of the newer traditions Canada to the north, in Tonasket, but is getting and California on the extreme quite a following. The event south. Highway 20 is an east/west route from attracts local farmers selling a variety of garlics, as well as other fresh the Pacific Coast via the North Cascades Highway, to Republic and Spokane. produce and flowers. The original town site of this western vilFor those looking to see some destruction, the Tonasket Demolition Derby on lage was located on the west side of the Sunday, Sept. 4 is the place for you. The Okanogan River, about one mile south of its contest is always exciting and attracts drivers present location. The town was once called
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Parry’s Ferry, or Parry’s Landing, for Watkins W. Parry, an early pioneer settler who had extensive holdings in the area. The present site of the town was purchased from the Bonaparte Land Company in 1910 and was soon platted. It was named Tonasket after Chief Tonasket of the Okanogan Tribe.
Recreationland • 2011