FORKS — Visitors to Forks this weekend will be transported into the logging history of the town.
With merchants sporting hickory shirts today and Saturday and contests using the tools of the trade, the event will allow those in Forks a peek into the past.
As part of its celebration each year, a logger is selected as the Logging Pioneer of the Year. This year, the pioneer is Carroll Koenke, a longtime resident of Forks.
Koenke moved to Forks about 60 years ago — when he was 20 years old — and took up logging.
“I’ve done everything there is to do in the woods except for run equipment. I never cared much about running equipment,” he said.
He “topped” trees — or climbed them in order to take the top off — up to about 160 feet, he said.
A native of Oklahoma, Koenke said he fell in love with the greenery and beauty of Forks as soon as he moved here.
“A friend of mine had relatives up here and said he was coming to Washington, so I said I’d come with him,” Koenke said.
“I’ve really liked it here the whole time, and I think it might be pretty hard to run me out of here,” he added.
“They’ll probably scatter my ashes somewhere out here.”
Others with memories of Forks gathered Thursday night for the Old Timers Roundtable.
Choker Setters Ball
Tonight, the Forks Community Orchestra will perform at the Choker Setters Ball, which will include a singalong, as well as a presentation by Larry Burtness.
The event also will include special guests Wanda Bumgarner singing some of her own compositions and Juanita Wessenfels joining the orchestra on piano.
The event will run from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Forks Congregational Church, 280 S. Spartan Ave.
The Forks Open Aire Market, held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the Timber Museum, 1421 S. Forks Ave., will include a Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Contest, said Bonny Dunker, market president and manager.
The contest will run from noon to 2 p.m. Those attempting to carve out the most creative pumpkin may use their own chainsaws or borrow one from Jerry’s Small Engines-Rentals Sales & Repairs on site.
The messy contest will earn prizes for the winners.
The Timber Museum will have a traditional apple press for making apple cider, said Pat Soderlind, one of the organizers.
By bringing apples and jars from home; use of the press is free.
Big Rummage Sale
The annual Friends of Forks Animals Big Rummage Sale and bake sale will be at the Bank of America, 481 S. Forks Ave., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
The annual sale is a major fundraiser for the group, which provides low-cost spay and neuter services to low-income West End families.
For more information, phone 360-374-3332 or visit friendsofforksanimals.org.
Wrapping up the day will be a “Little Logger” dress up contest at Forks Outfitters. Children dressed as loggers may win prizes as part of the contest, which will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
