SOUTH BEND - Come on out to the South Bend Come and Play on Labor Day Festival (Thursday thru Monday) and say "Happy Anniversary" to this tradition-rich little coastal city, she was founded 150 years ago this year!
South Bend Mayor Julie struck was thoughtful enough to provide time to the Herald despite being extremely busy maintaining a booth at the Pacific County Fair.
Mayor Struck believes this year's 5-day party could just be one of the best ever.
"This year we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the City of South Bend," Struck told the Herald. "There's lots for people to do. It's gonna be a great weekend. There will be a party at the Chamber of Commerce on Saturday night with a concert featuring Brownsmead Flats. All of our favorite events will be happening again, including the grand parade, fireworks show, kids parade, kids races, hay scramble, free bounce houses, softball tournament, poker paddle, pole walk, Fireman's water ball, Texas Hold 'em Tourney and duck race. There will also be a free kid's movie on Saturday night and the first annual color fun run on Saturday morning. The vendor mall will be across from Pioneer Grocery again and the Oyster Van will be selling our 'World Famous Willapa Bay Oysters.'"
Mayor Struck briefly talked about the historic tradition of the fishing, oyster farming and logging community during its 150 years that will be highlighted at this year's festival. On Saturday, at 6:30 pm, a special Happy 150th Anniversary South Bend Party takes place at the Community Chamber of Commerce Building. There will be a program with six speakers giving 10-minute presentations about some of the history of South Bend.
"South Bend is famous for its oysters and the Chamber Oyster Van will be selling them for all to enjoy," Struck said, "This will be the 57th Annual Labor Day celebration featuring the grand parade and fireworks. During the anniversary party, there will be a series of six 10-minute presentations on the history of the South Bend area. Topics are logging, fishing, oyster farming, Chinook Indian history, South Bend School history and the City of South Bend history.
"South Bend began in 1869 with a logging mill that drew homesteaders to the area already inhabited by Native Americans," Struck informed. "Our traditions center around our natural environment and the bounty it provided."
Presenters and their topics will include Patricia Neve (South Bend), Jennifer Allison (Shellfish industry), Steve Rogers (School District), Chinook Nation Rep (Chinook Tribe), Gerald Ashley (Fishing Industry), and Bruce Wielepp (Logging Industry). Mike Morris will serve as Master of Ceremonies and Struck will give the welcome. There will be a free concert featuring Brownsmead Flats.
The Grand Parade is always the best one to attend in the county.
"We are expecting between two and three thousand people to attend the parade this year," Struck said. "The parade route stretches for nearly a mile and people typically line the entire parade route from beginning to end. The ever-popular Astoria Clowns and the Buccaneers (pirates) will be back again this year."
Come and Play can always be counted on to make kids gleeful.
"There are many activities for kids to participate in that are free and fun," Struck said. "Saturday morning features the kids races, hay scramble and the kids parade. All of these activities happen near Koplitz Field House. Downtown, there are vendor booths and free bounce houses for the kids. Saturday evening, there is a free movie, Small Foot, at the South Bend Fire Hall with popcorn and snacks provided. All the kids love to watch the Grand Parade on Sunday and bring their bag to collect the candy distributed, and of course the fireworks on Sunday evening are always fun, too."
This year's fireworks show will be extra special with Pyro Spectaculars by Souza from Rialto, California contracted for the explosives. They are the same company that is contracted for the New Year's Eve show at the Space Needle, according to Struck. "They will shoot off 300 shells,"Struck said.
South Bend paid $8,000 for the display, up from $6,000 last year. "It should be a great show," Struck said.
"This year we have increased the amount spent on the fireworks show by 25 percent," Struck noted. "We are using Pyro Spectaculars North for the show; they are the same company that does the Space Needle Fireworks show."
The Grand Marshal chosen for this year's parade are the Rick Manlow and Mike Johnson families.
"They have operated Pioneer Grocery for several decades and have always supported local sports teams, civic associations and individuals in need," Struck pointed out. "Members of their family over several generations have served on community service group boards and have also held South Bend City Council and City Board positions. They have always supported South Bend, its residents and the Labor Day festival."
There is more than one Mystery Person this year.
"The Mystery Person is actually several people each year," Struck said. "They are out and about over the weekend looking for people who are wearing their Labor Day buttons to give them prizes and or gift certificates that are donated from our local businesses."
"I don't have a complete list of vendors yet," Struck said. "They are still coming in. I do know we will have mini-donuts, burgers, oysters, Asian food, Mexican food and shaved ice. There will also be craft vendors, art and jewelry."
This year's 57th Annual Come and Play on Labor Day Festival will feature a special celebration for the 150th Anniversary of the City of South Bend.
Fishing Derby
Opens Saturday
The Come and Play on Labor Fishing Derby takes place Saturday and Sunday from daylight until 6:00 p.m. The cost is $10 per day and tickets are available at Dennis company through Sunday and at the South Bend Boat Launch (5:30 a.m. - 7:00 a.m.). The derby is sponsored by Dennis Company.
The 5k Fun Color Run takes off at 8 am Saturday with registration at 7:00 a.m. at Koplitz Field House. Anyone 18 and under gets to participate for free and the cost for adults is $20, and it includes free T-shirts. There is a link to sign up for the race at https://sbcolorrun2019.eventbrite.com, or you can get a registration form at South Bend City Hall.
The Kid's Races at Millam Field starts at 9:00 a.m. Saturday under the direction of Lisa Olsen.
Also for kids (9 and under) is the Hay Scramble at 10:00 a.m. at Millam Field.
From 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. is the Chauncey Davis Elementary Farewell with an open microphone at 1:00 p.m.
Hands-On-Sensory for Kids is at 10:00 a.m. until noon at Millam Field; it's sponsored by Basics Northwest.
The Kid's Parade (12 and under) starts at noon sharp at Koplitz Field House with the Time Machine theme. In honor of the 150th anniversary of South Bend kids should dress up as an important figure, moment in time, memory, or local business from the past, present or future. Kids can go on foot, on their bikes, or even in strollers. Kids need to get in line at 11:30 a.m. Awards and popsicles will be presented on the playground behind the elementary school. Email aolsen@southbendschools.org if you would like to sign up your child or a group of children. Participants need to be signed up before August 29.
The Friends of the Library Book Sale runs for three days (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Penoyar Law Office.
The Happy 150th Anniversary South Bend Party is at 6:30 p.m. at the Chamber Community Building.
At 7:00 p.m. at the South Bend Fire Hall is the Free Kid's Movie, Smallfoot. Free popcorn and water will be available. Smallfoot is sponsored by the Teen Advocacy Coalition and the South Bend Police Department.
If you want a good breakfast on Sunday, go to the Chamber building from 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. for the Kiwanis Scholarship Breakfast.
Sunday's Grand Parade starts at 1:00 p.m. The SBHS Band Ensemble will belt out the National Anthem and Andy Mullen is the parade announcer.
Water Ball Competition is at 2:00 p.m. between the fire departments at the fire hall with South Bend Fire Chief Alan Ashley directing this fun, wet event.
The Fireworks on the Willapa River start at dusk.
On Monday at 11:00 a.m. get involved with the Poker Paddle at Robert Bush Park.
The Blair Warnstadt Pole Walk at Robert Bush Park takes place at 1:00 p.m. The splashy, get-wet event is directed by Ken and Aimee Betrozoff.
Duck Races go off at 2:30 p.m. $5 a ticket might get you a lucky duck.
The Scavenger Hunt is a daily event. Pick up a form at the South Bend Timberland Library on Saturday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Find clues around town and return your completed form to the library before 4 pm Saturday, September 7 for a prize.
The Mystery Person is another daily event where they hand out prizes to lucky people wearing their Come and Play on Labor Day Buttons. The Mystery Person donors include Elixir Tea and Flowers, Jayden's German Store and Deli, Pacific Seafood, Pioneer Grocery, and Sarah Sheary (Independent Scentsy Consultant).
Other daily events for the festival include vendor booths and Bounce Houses (both from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.), Wood on the Willapa Softball Tournament at Cheney Park, Karaoke with Doug at Pioneer Park, and the Beer Garden at Cheney Park.
Proceeds from this year's tournament will benefit Roxanne Gerow, a local cancer patient, and the South Bend Firefighters Scholarship fund. For more information, contact Brian Morley (943-9022) or Sarah Sheary (942-7963).
Sponsors for the tournament are Ambiance Massage & Spa, LTD, Choco Sports, Bud's Lumber & Electric, Harbor Realty, LLC, Debra Wilson Insurance, LLC, JBK Builders, Timber Grounds, 7th Street Coffee, Coastal Coffee, Beans and Rocks, Pacific Log Processing, LLC, Seiler Home Group, Le-Vel Ronda Rowe, Basics Northwest, Willapa Log, First Interstate Bank, The Bank of the Pacific, Thorbeckes, Steve's Front End, Problemsolved, Wild Man Brewing Company, and South Bend Pharmacy.
The Don Weisel Memorial Texas Hold 'em Poker Tourney takes place Thursday, 6:00 p.m., at Tim's Chester Club and Oyster Bar, where there will also be live music Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
Make sure to turn in your Come and Play on Labor Button with your name and phone number in a ziplock bag to Pioneer Grocery or Tim's Chester Club & Oyster Bar to win a $50 cash prize or three $25 cash prizes. The winners will be drawn September 18.
The 2019 Come and Play on Labor Day Committee includes Mayor Struck, Lucas Stigall, Lisa Olsen, Jenny Penoyar, Zoe Sowa, Kenny Betrozoff, Aimee Betrozoff, Brian Morley, Sarah Sheary, Debra Bostwick, Sue Scott, and Alyssa Olsen.
Sponsors for this year's festival are Bank of the Pacific, Beans & Rocks, Bud's Lumber and Electric, Chen's Motel and Restaurant, Chester club and Oyster Bar, Davis Realty and Insurance, Dennis Company, Deb and Doug Miller, Flowers by Lynne, Guy Glenn, attorney, Scott Harmer, attorney, Kiwanis Club of South Bend, McDonald's, Bruce Ogren, Pacific Seafood, Penoyar Law, Pioneer Grocery, Pitchwood Inc, Riverview Chiropractic, Security State Bank, South Bend Pharmacy, The Shop, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Commemorative coins are being sold for $10 in honor of this year's anniversary celebration.
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