QUILCENE — This weekend’s Quilcene Fair — with its parade, classic car show and antler show — will display what makes the small town of Quilcene special, said those anticipating it.
“It’s the one time every year that Quilcene gets to focus on itself and recognize all the fantastic things happening here,” said Linda Herzog, director of Quilcene Conversations.
“Just look around: Everybody’s doing something for the good of the community.”
The all-volunteer fair has taken place for 30 years and provides a fun opportunity to recognize all those good works and celebrate the strength of the community, Herzog said.
Most events will be Saturday on the grounds of the Quilcene School at 294715 U.S. Highway 101 and will begin with registration for a fun run and extend through the afternoon.
But the third annual Quilcene Antler Show, held in conjunction with the Quilcene Fair, will run for two days in the school gym, and the carnival will begin today and run through Sunday.
Antler show
The antler show will be from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $1.
“This is a great venue to showcase the past and present hunters that find the Olympics a fantastic outdoor wonderland,” said Mari Phillips, who began the show three years ago, on the Quilcene Fair website.
“It also is an avenue to encourage the young in our community to enjoy hunting and the great outdoors,” she said.
The carnival will offer rides for three days, beginning today.
The Cascade Amusements Carnival will be open from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. today, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Pre-sale, discounted full-day ride tickets will be available at the Quilcene branch of US Bank and can be exchanged at the carnival for an all-day ride wrist band.
Saturday’s parade
The theme for the parade, set at 11 a.m. Saturday, is a reflection of Quilcene’s new town motto, “The Pearl of the Peninsula.”
It will proceed down Highway 101 in front of the school going towards US Bank, with entries including community dignitaries and honorees, floats, vehicles, horses, local groups, candidates, vehicles, animals, logging and old farm equipment.
The town is staging a community portrait after the parade Saturday.
Members of the community, as well as anyone who happens to be in town, are invited to participate in this photo shoot.
The festival honors local citizens of note.
This year, Tom and Cass Brotherton are the king and queen of the parade, Nancy Stickney is the year’s pioneer citizen, and educators of the year are teacher Larry McKeehan and Pam Mack, Quilcene School executive secretary.
The schedule is:
Today
■ 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. — Carnival.
Saturday
■ 7:30 a.m. — Check-in and registration for the Ranger Run on Rogers Street, behind the Windermere office.
■ 8 a.m. — Pancake breakfast in the school cafeteria.
■ 9 a.m. — Quilcene Ranger Run begins at Rogers Street.
■ 10 a.m. — Vendor booths open for business; classic car show begins in the ball field behind the school; Fine Arts, Fibre Arts and Crafts Exhibit begins in the learning center at the school.
■ 11 a.m. — Parade starts on Highway 101 in front of the school, with community photo on the highway in front of the school immediately after the parade; carnival opens across the road from US Bank.
■ Noon — Antler show opens ($1 admission); juggling by David Kell on the main stage in the cafeteria, Eric Miller Band performs in the courtyard.
■ 1 p.m. — Puppet show in the southwest corner of the cafeteria.
■ 2 p.m. — The Honeyville Rascals band plays in the courtyard.
■ 3 p.m. — Car Show “burn-out” exhibition behind school; Dan Ackerman will speak on “Getting Fig Trees Through the Winter” in the cafeteria.
■ 3:40 p.m. — Ali Dyche will speak about “Home Food Preserving” in the cafeteria.
Sunday
■ 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Antler show.
■ Noon to 5 p.m. — Carnival.
For more information, visit www.quilcenefair.com.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
