SVR Special Pages - Festival at Mount Si 2014

The

Festival at

Mount Si August 8-10, 2014

HOMETOWN CELEBRATION PUBLISHED AS A SUPPLEMENT TO THE SNOQUALMIE VALLEY RECORD

Couples, start your training, Page 8 Wife-carrying contest added to field games

Fireworks for the Festival, Page 13 Love of fireworks shows in annual spectacle

8• August 6, 2014 • Snoqualmie Valley Record

Out of the Past: Festival at Mount Si The Festival at Mount Si honors the community spirit of North Bend as it preserves the past, celebrates the present, and embraces the future. The event has changed a lot, but its focus on community spirit, coming together and fun for all ages has never diminished.

1975 “We’ve got something for everybody,” says George Macris, president of the North Bend Chamber of Commerce.

That’s pretty much the slogan for ‘75’s Alpine Days, which featured a raft race sponsored

by Kiwanis, a salmon bake, chicken barbecue, a Sallal Grange fair, women’s baseball tournament sponsored by North Bend Tavern, and a bicentennial picnic. It begins with a teenage street dance Friday night. After that, one of eight young students will be crowned Alpine Days Queen.

1983 The American Legion Pickering Post carried Old Glory again. Marching with the color guard was Jesse Santini, holder of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Santini’s heroism in combat during the Korean War earned him our nation’s highest military decoration.

“I’ve never missed a North Bend parade in 25 years,” claims Ed Lane, the number-one horseman in the Valley, named grand marshal. He and wife Penny have ridden horses in all the parades. Why change now?

So, no convertible for Ed, who, at 80, still keeps busy on his “horse spread” outside North Bend.

SEE PAST, 10

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A hometown party under Mount Si

Si View Community Park once again hosts the Festival at Mount Si in North Bend’s big back yard, Aug. 8 to 10.

Events start Friday with an arts show, live music, booths, vendors and children’s activities at the park.

A children’s parade and grand parade start at 10:15 a.m. downtown on Saturday. Then the action moves back to Si View, with food and pet contests and lots to see and do. Live music all day includes an 8 p.m. concert

by Austin Jenckes of “The Voice” fame. Fireworks cap the day, launched from North Bend’s Torguson Park. On Sunday, come for family field games and a big chili cookoff.

This is the second year since Si View was remodeled, so newcomers to the park can enjoy the upgraded surroundings, children’s area and a new band shell.

We asked Jill Massengill, Festival committee president, what makes this summer event, which returns August 8 to 10, 2014, so beloved.

What makes the Festival special?

“I think it stands out as the longest running and largest community event. Generations of Valley families look forward to either attending for family fun, food, the parade and music, or they plan a party at their home that night for a barbecue picnic and spectacular fireworks show.”

Photo courtesy of Dave Battey

How does it bring community together?

“It brings the community together through common interests. Not only the events and family fun, but the efforts on many many people and business to participate in donating or volunteering to pull something of this magnitude off.”

What’s your favorite part?

“My personal favorite part is the friendships I have made with a number of really super people that volunteer time and efforts AND the clean up party.....really! I have never laughed so hard in my life. Sunday, Aug. 10, at 4 p.m.—come check it out.”

Learn more at www.festivalatmtsi.org.

Festival fun: Can you carry your wife?

Field games and family fun spread onto park’s grassy areas Families can take part in some oldfashioned, even old-world field games at the Festival, happening from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10, on the Si View grass field.

Home once again at the improved Si View Park, the festival committee decided to make some playful additions.

“Here we have this big, beautiful field,” said festival chairwoman Jill Massengill. “We wanted to find some way to incorporate it.”

Field games include fun for grownups and kids. Si View Park hosts a fouron-four volleyball tournament, there will be wheelbarrow races, three-legged race, and a sack race.

One import is a wife-carrying contest. Men compete to carry their wives through an obstacle course, using different types of carries. The winner gets a gift certificate for his wife’s weight in beer.

Local artworks showcased

Wife carrying is a traditional Finnish game. Tales have been passed down about how this sport got started. One folk tale tells how a bandit and his gang carried off food and women. The legend grew, as young men would go into nearby villages to steal a wife.

According to Wikipedia, the head bandit “trained his thieves to be faster and stronger by carrying big, heavy sacks on their backs, which could have eventually evolved to a sport because of the hard labor (endurance), and muscle strengthening; which most sports ensure. Even though this sport has been considered by some as a joke, competitors take it very seriously, just like any other sport.”

Wife carrying is practiced in Australia, the United States, Hong Kong and Estonia and and has a category in the Guinness Book of Records. World championships in the wife carrying contest have been held in Sonkajärvi, Finland, since 1992.

To take part in the field games, inquire at the Festival Information Booth.

Valley artists showcase their works on the Si View lawn, Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the Festival at Mount Si. Art demonstrations and displays are outside the community center.

Jeffrey Waters, a well-known artist from Fall City and past president of the Northwest Watercolor Society, will demonstrate watercolor techniques, and show his works, which have won recognition throughout the Valley. He gives a painting demonstration inside the Art Demo Tent, 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Jeff Sturgeon, known for his award-winning metal paintings of landscapes, will demonstrate acrylics on metal from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Bob Antone will demonstrate wood carving, sculpture and painting. Antone is a composer, and musician who was born and raised in the Snoqualmie Valley.

Laura Williams, Bob’s fiancé, does drawing and painting. Both Williams and Antone will give demonstrations of their art all three days of the festival.

Mary Miller, a well-known local artist, will display her evocative photography of Valley landscapes and people.

Tami Donnelly, an acrylic artist from Covington, paints wildlife with her daughter, Emily Donnelly. Tami’s specialty is painting various animals and designs on miniature canvases and attaching each one to a leather beaded necklace that she makes. She will make them to order if a customer wants a certain color or design.

Other Valley artists taking part are Alraune Chowdhury and her mother, Ranita Chowdhury. Both work in pastel, watercolor and mixed media.

Julie Hick, a watercolorist known for her floral paintings, and Leslie Kreher, who enjoys doing water color and graphite, also present their styles at the Festival.

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Spicy goodness Hotshot local cooks will grab their chili spoons and return to the What’s Cookin’ Chili Cook-off, sponsored by The North Bend Bar & Grill, 8:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10, at Si View Park.

Cooks compete for people’s choice and judges awards. The top chef gets a $300 cash prize, trophy and bragging rights.

The people’s choice is made by festival-goers, who pay $5 for a chance to taste chili. Proceeds are donated to the festival and the community sampling begins at 1 p.m.

Awards are announced at 2:30 p.m.

All chili is cooked on site; pro teams not allowed.

Snoqualmie Valley Record • August 6, 2014 • 9

Pet contest promises a waggin’ good time

File photo

Dressed as Chewbacca, a dog competes for best trick.

You know how great your pet is, so why not let everyone else see it, too?

Bring your critter to the Festival on Saturday, and let him or her strut their stuff in the Amazing Pet Contest, starting at 4 p.m. at the Community Stage.

“It’s very casual, you just bring your pet.

There’s no pre-registration, no fee, it’s just a fun time,” says contest coordinator Kathy Paulus.

Last year, a couple of pretty fabulous chickens won the best costume contest. A variety of animals are welcome. Just make sure they behave around other people and animals.

Pets, and their owners, can compete in two categories, Best Trick and Best Costume, so almost any pet can enter.

A panel of judges will award trophies to the first-place winner of each category, and second and third-place winners will receive ribbons.

Everyone will share in the fun, whether or not they win, because, Paulus says, “It has to be absolutely positive the entire time. And you have to appreciate what effort everybody has put into

Blueberries galore Local blueberry chefs push the envelope of sweet stuff in the Burstin’ with Blueberries Dessert Contest, 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9.

Participants whip up home-made, blueberrythemed desserts to present to contest judges. You can enter as many desserts as you wish.

This year, for the first time, there are both adult and youth categories. The top adult contestant will take home $25 cash and five pounds of blueberries from BybeeNims Blueberry Farm.

Prizes for the youth category with be provided by sponsor Steve’s Doughnuts.

Desserts should be dropped off at the Festival information File photo booth on Saturday mornGillian Nedblake ing by 11:45 a.m. Judging holds her secondbegins at 12:30 p.m. and the winners will be place coffee cake. announced at 1:15 p.m.

To learn more, visit www.festivalatmtsi.org.

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FESTIVAL EVENTS

FROM 8

1988 Alpine Days King Todd Mills and Queen Kari Miller rode in the convertible in the 1988 parade.

Candidates for King and Queen are judged on talent, poise and ticket sales. Grand marshals are Jack and Mary Ferrell. Jack is a forest ranger and scoutmaster, while Mary is a den leader and Sunday school teacher.

1993

Little kids and big kids alike swarmed around J.P. Patches and Gertrude for a chance to get their autographs at North Bend Days. The clowns drew crowds on the sidewalk and during their show in Kids Alley.

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‘Something for everyone’ on stages Festival stages feature breadth of musical genres, plus headliner Austin Jenckes Hear sounds from blues and country to top 40, from local bands and local celebrity Austin Jenckes, at the Festival at Mount Si. “We try to select a variety of music, ‘a little something for everyone’,” says entertainment committee chairwoman Minna Rudd.

Main stage music tends to very upbeat and danceable, from mostly four-piece bands.

“We tend to rotate the most popular groups in every few years, giving more bands an opportunity to play here,” explains Rudd. “This year, the committee had one request —bring in Austin Jenckes—so that was my starting point, to secure him for the festival weekend.... It worked out very well, as Austin will be our headliner on Saturday evening!”

Another special treat this year is the Friday night headliner, Seattle band The Senate, on a reunion tour. The full Main Stage music lineup includes:

Friday, Aug. 8 • Kellee Bradley, folk rock and Americana, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

• The Senate, Seattle-based rock ‘n’ roll string band, 8 to 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 9

• Arts show, Food booths, & Kids’ fun area, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Beer garden, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., • Field games, wife-carrying contest, sack race, 12:30 p.m. on Si View Park field • Annual Chili Cook-off tasting, 1 p.m.; winners announced at 2:45 p.m.

• Karate Demo, 1 p.m. at the Community Stage • Cascade Dance Team, 1:30 p.m. at the Community Stage

Former Snoqualmie Middle School Principal Jack McCullough, who retired at the end of this school year, leads the parade as Grand Marshal.

Consignments By Appointment

• Beer garden, 5 to 10 p.m., sponsored by Rotary Club • Food booths, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Arts show, 6 to 10 p.m., Front Lawn Tent • Kids’ fun area, 6 to 8 p.m.

• Live music, 6 to 9:30 p.m.

• Valley Idol Winners Catalina Jarocki and Julian Betz, 7:30 p.m., Community Stage

Sunday, Aug. 10

2002

Have fun at the Festival.

When you are done, come see us!

Friday, Aug. 8

• Food booths, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Arts show, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Kiddie Parade, 10:15 a.m.

• Grand Parade, 10:30 a.m. on North Bend Way • Kids’ fun area, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Beer garden, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

• Silent auction, noon to 5 p.m.

• Blueberry Dessert Contest, 12:30 p.m.; Enter at info booth.

• Parade awards, 1:45 p.m. on the Main Stage • Karate Demo, 1:45 p.m. at the Community Stage • Cherry Pie Eating Contest, 2:15 p.m. at the Community Stage • Veils of the Nile belly dancing, 3:30 p.m., Community Stage • Amazing Pet Contest, 4 p.m. at the Community Stage • Snoqualmie Valley Winds Community Band, 5:30 p.m. at the Community Stage • IGNITE Dance team, 6:15 p.m. at the Community Stage • The Roofdogs band, 7:30 p.m. at the Community Stage • Fireworks, 9:45 p.m., at Torguson Park

1994

• Shaggy Sweet, blues, rock, rhythm and blues, 12 to 1:30 p.m.

• Ricky Venture Revue, today’s hits, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

• Richard Allen and the Louisiana Experience, zydeco, swing and funk, 4 to 5:30 p.m.

• Aaron Crawford, Americana and country, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

• Austin Jenckes, country, alternative and folk, 8 to 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 10 • Fabulous Roof Shakers, rockin’ blues, R&B and classic rock, 12 to 1:30 p.m.

• The British Beats, classic British rock, 2 to 3:30 p.m.

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The annual Festival at Mount Si is August 8 to 10. All events are at Si View Community Park, 400 Orchard Drive, except the grand and kiddie parade, which are on downtown streets. Fireworks are launched from Torguson Park.

Saturday, Aug. 9

Evelyn “Evie” Offield has always loved working with children. She taught third grade for decades at North Bend Elementary until her retirement. Now, she will lead the Alpine Days Torchlight Parade as grand marshal. One of six kids born at her family’s Ballarat Avenue home, she graduated from North Bend High School in 1940.

Among activities planned are a Twin Peaks spoof at Twin Peaks High School (Mount Si), a Victorian Garden Party at the Vinnedge residence, gospel, rock and roll and country music, and a mini-aquarium on wheels at Si View Park.

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Snoqualmie Valley Record • August 6, 2014 • 11

Parade time: Line up for kids, clowns, cars

Blaring bands and highstepping dancers mingle with pirates, clowns and cool cars at the Festival parades, Saturday morning, Aug. 9.

The Kiddie Parade begins at 10:15 a.m. on North Bend Way, and is sponsored by Tour de Peaks and Scotts Dairy Freeze.

The Grand Parade follows, rain or shine, at 10:30 a.m. Line-up is along Cedar Falls Way, and entries proceed straight down North

File photo

Mount Si High School cheerleaders perform in the 2013 Festival at Mount Si parade. The Grand Parade starts at 10:30 a.m.

Bend Way, turning right onto Main Street, right again onto Second Street, then dispersing at the North Bend Elementary parking lot.

People on floats should not throw candy, but walkers can pass it out by hand.

Animal entries are welcome, but pet owners need to provide their own cleanup.

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South Pole adventurers honored at Fest Meet 2014 grand marshals Chris and Marty Fagan

T

his past winter, Chris and Marty Fagan of North Bend made a life-changing journey to the South Pole.

They’re getting a hometown hurrah this summer, named grand marshals of the Festival at Mount Si Parade.

“It seemed like, what an amazing thing that they’ve done!” said Festival committee chairwoman Jill Massengill. “They’re local. We wanted to make sure we honored local celebrities.”

Below, Chris Fagan answers questions about their selection and what’s happening to this adventuresome couple now.

How does it feel to be selected to represent your community?

Courtesy photo

Chris and Marty Fagan at the south pole marker in January.

Faces, meet pies

“It is quite an honor to be selected to represent North Bend at the Festival of Mount Si. We love this community that we’ve lived in for 12 years. We love the small town feel and positive spirit. We are so fortunate to live in a community that embraced us throughout our expedition experience.”

High-stakes gorging at Twede’s Cherry Pie Eating Contest

What are you two up to now?

Kids and adults get messy and very, very full in the Twede’s Cafe Cherry Pie Eating Contest, happening at 2:15 p.m. at the Community Stage.

In this competition, hungry challengers attempt to eat as many pies as possible in five minutes. The winner usually eats close to two whole pies, fruit, crust and all.

Entrants will be divided into two age groups; age 5 to 12, and 13 and above.

Winners will take home a mini-pig trophy and bragging rights.

Twede’s Cafe, which has sponsored the event since its inception, supplies the fresh-baked, homemade pies.

Participants devise creative stage names to represent themselves, and spectators cheer for their favorites by ‘name’ as competitors pig-out on pie.

Those interested in competing are encouraged to register at 1 p.m. at the information booth on Saturday, as there will only be enough pie for a limited number of adults and children. Then it’s just a matter of working up an appetite and scarfing down as many pies as possible. The event draws upwards of 300 spectators and creates quite a bit of noise.

Contestants need to be at the stage by 1:45 p.m., and all eaters must fill out a waiver form. Children under 18 must have their parents sign; you must be at least age 5 to take part.

The contest has made good use of the staple cherry pies at Twede’s Cafe.

The pastries got a shot of fame from the Twin Peaks cult mystery series; Cafe owner Kyle Twede says he goes through about 70 pies a week. They’re Twede’s most popular item.

Twede advises contestants to stretch their stomachs prior to the contest.

Another tip: Be hungry.

“We are both back to our regular routines, enjoying more free time since we aren’t spending every free moment planning and training. We are speaking at various organizations, sharing our story and hopefully inspiring others along the way. We are back to ultra-running and spending time in the mountains. I am working at my consulting business, SparkFire. Marty is getting back to work as a director of facilities and real estate.”

The Fagans’ polar trek

What do you think the significance of your polar trek is to your lives?

“Our expedition reinforced our belief that to grow, we must push beyond our comfort zones and imagine possibilities that seem beyond our reach.

Like past adventures, Marty and I grew even closer through our Antarctica experience.

“When times got tough, it was ultimately the love and support of our family, friends and fans that gave us the final push to the pole. Feeling that deep connection and unconditional love, that’s what really matters in life.

“In the end, our journey became bigger than us. Discovering the different ways that we inspired kids and adults made the expedition that much more worthwhile.”

Do people always ask you about it? Do you get tired of talking about it?

Their 2014 South Pole trip was three years in the making for North Bend’s Chris and Marty Fagan. The couple spent nine hours a day for nearly 50 days dragging 200-plus pounds of food and supplies across nearly 600 miles of glacier in round-the-clock daylight.

The Fagans left home Nov. 17. As team 3 Below Zero, on Jan. 18, they completed that trip, an unguided, unsupported (no re-supply) and unassisted (powered solely by their own muscles), skiing expedition from the Ronne Ice Shelf to the South Pole, 560 miles away.

They were the first American married couple to make the trek. Visit the Fagans’ website at www.3belowzero.com.

“We feel honored when people ask us about our expedition and are thrilled to meet people who actually followed along during our trip. Talking about our South Pole adventure is a joy since it holds such a special place in our hearts.”

Have you ever taken part in the Festival at Mount Si? What’s your favorite part?

“We enjoy the variety of events offered by the Festival at Mount Si—there is something for everyone. When our son was younger, he loved the bouncy house and discovering the fun arts and crafts booths catered to kids. We always look forward to listening to awesome music with beautiful Mount Si as a backdrop.”

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Snoqualmie Valley Record • August 6, 2014 • 13

Lighting up the night Festival fireworks gala is a gift to the community North Bend gas station owner George Wyrsch, Sr., always loved the thrill of things that go boom in the night.

An avid Lions Club member, he staffed the charity fireworks stand in town. Every Fourth of July, the elder Wyrsch took his family to Carnation to watch the show.

It’s been more than three decades since the Wyrsch family took over sponsorship duties for what is today’s Festival at Mount Si show, a rare late-summer display that draws onlookers to North Bend on Saturday.

George, Sr., died in 2010. His son, George Jr., and grandson have continued as owners and operators of the local Chevron and Shell stations, and Wyrsch Towing.

“I like fireworks as much as the next guy,” says Bryan Wyrsch, son of George, Jr., who splits the cost of the show, about $15,000, with his dad.

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Eagle’s legacy goes back decades. It’s the oldest pyrotechnics contractor in Washington. Current owner Steve Thornton bought the company about 20 years ago.

Thornton “takes the most pride in that show,” relates Chris Hoyle, an Eagle employee and pyrotechnic assistant.

Coincidentally, it falls right around Thornton’s birthday, so it gets extra love.

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up the afternoon and evening of the event.

It’s all action on the launching ground. North Bend’s show is mostly lit by hand with flares. The fuse burns at 55 feet per second, and the pyrotechnicians are usually several feet away, the launch is near simultaneous. They wear helmets with visors for protection, and use flashlights and the light from the flares to see what they’re doing.

Finales are fired off electronically.

A show of North Bend’s size launches about 1,000 shells of all sizes.

Shells launched at community fireworks shows are surprisingly big. An eight-inch shell weighs 20 pounds. A 12-inch shell, some of which are featured in North Bend, is so heavy that it’s lowered into its steel mortar by a rope. The biggest shells make a sphere of fire 600 feet across, which means their charge has to lob them 1,200 feet up.

Most fireworks have names: The ones that shriek and spin are called “fox howls.” A “peony” is a common effect with an explosion that turns into a bulging circle of stars.

A “crossette” spits stars that explode into smaller, crisscrossing stars.

Hoyle’s favorite is all noise, the shells called “salutes.”

“They just go up and go boom!” he said. “If they’re good ones, they make the windows rattle.”

Eagle typically fires a shell of its own make for every imported firework. The Chehalis-made bombs stand out.

Hoyle credits their decades-perfected recipes.

“It’s unmistakeable. Eagle colors are more brilliant,” says Hoyle. “That really sells the show. People want Eagle fireworks because they are the best.”

For Hoyle, the hardest part is the cleanup—shells leave a small amount of paper waste behind. Multiply that by a thousand shells, and North Bend’s big show makes a big mess, with paper remains from the launch falling downwind—right into the Snoqualmie Valley Trail.

“All those sticker bushes!” says Hoyle. “They get stuck in there like you wouldn’t believe…. There’s no easy way to get it.” But the Eagle crew has to dive in, as the law is very strict about cleanup.

• The Festival at Mount Si fireworks show begins at about 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, launched from Torguson Park.

• Visit Torguson Park, Si View Park and North Bend Elementary for the best spots to view the show.

• For more information, visit www.festivalatmtsi.org.

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14• August 6, 2014 • Snoqualmie Valley Record

Win trip up Space Needle at Festival booth New to North Bend, Bartell Drugs joins the celebra-

WWW.VALLEYRECORD.COM

tion of the 75th annual Festival at Mount Si this year, with a booth offering free samples and contests.

Sample products and sign up to win a $100 Bartells gift certificate or four Space Needle lift tickets.

Bartells’ North Bend store opened last year.

Founded in Seattle in 1890, Bartell Drugs owns and operates locations in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.

Family-owned and operated, it is the nation’s oldest drugstore chain.

For more information on Bartell Drugs, visit www. bartelldrugs.com.

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