NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, Sept. 20.
QUILCENE — The two-day 30th annual Quilcene Fair and Parade will celebrate the last days of summer with a symbolic “return of the salmon” during its grand parade, as well as arts and crafts, a harvest display, music and food.
“It’s an opportunity for the community to come together for a big party to celebrate our little town, to show it off to the world,” said Greg Brotherton, fair board member.
All the events today and Saturday are at the Quilcene School campus — which houses grades from preschool through high school — at 294715 U.S. Highway 101.
The festivities begin today with the 4 p.m. opening of the Cascade Amusement Carnival, which will be open until the crowds go home.
On Saturday, the carnival will open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.
Tickets are $20.
Celebrate harvest
A garden contest and display sponsored by the Quilcene-Brinnon Garden Club will celebrate the fruits — and vegetables — of the harvest, with prizes given for the largest pumpkin, longest zucchini, best flower arrangement, best miniature carrot and “funkiest fruit or veggie.”
Entries will be accepted at the Quilcene School cafeteria between 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. for 6 p.m. judging today.
All entries will be displayed Saturday at the Gardener’s Corner in the cafeteria.
Jams and jellies also will be judged. Entries — consisting of one jar with recipe details and processing times — are to be dropped off between 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. today at the cafeteria.
In addition to vegetables and jellies, displays of children’s art and the “return of the salmon” also are planned in the cafeteria.
Arts and crafts entries are due between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. today at the school’s Learning Center, or before 8 a.m. Saturday, for the Fine Arts, Fiber Arts and Crafts Exhibit.
Prizes also will be awarded in a photo contest featuring Quilcene scenes.
A raffle offers more than 75 prizes. Raffle tickets are $1.
The fair begins Saturday with an 8 a.m. community breakfast in the cafeteria.
The breakfast, prepared and served by members of the Quilcene High School Vocational Club, costs $5 and includes a traditional breakfast of sausage and eggs, cinnamon rolls, juice and coffee.
The club also will serve lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Vendors, booths and exhibits will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fair parade
A school of giant wire fish will swim “against the stream” of the 2013 Quilcene Fair parade, which begins at 11 a.m. along U.S. Highway 101.
The fish are known as “backpack puppets” and are the creations of Quilcene puppeteer Thaddeus Jurczynski, Brotherton said.
The school of puppet fish is expected to grow each year of the parade, creating a new tradition, he said.
Parade grand marshals are Ben and Maryann Stamper.
Ben Stamper is a longtime mail carrier for the community and former Quilcene School Board member, and the couple are active in the community as members of their church.
Harley and Mary Brotherton — no relation to Greg Brotherton — were selected as Quilcene Pioneers.
Harley Brotherton, 86, arrived in the Crocker Lake/Snow Creek area in 1932 and is a former logger, union man and school teacher.
Mary Brotherton’s family arrived in 1945 and purchased the Howe Creek Ranch.
The fair king and queen are Brett and Ashley Hoffman, and Citizens of the Year are Chuck Thrasher and Kathryn Boyker, David Satterlee and Christine Sydneysmith.
Thrasher, longtime Habitat for Humanity volunteer, bought and remodeled a building that houses Habitat’s Furniture and More Store, while he and Boyker, a Master Gardener, are strong supporters of the Worthington Park development.
Satterlee, a fourth-generation Satterlee, serves as chairman of the Quilcene Historical Museum’s grant-writing committee.
Sydneysmith is a member of the Quilcene Yacht Club and Quilcene Garden Club, and a board member of the Quilcene Historical Museum.
A community portrait will be taken immediately following the parade. All members of the community are welcome.
There is no formal car show or burnout this year, but there will be VIP parking for vintage vehicles for an informal car show.
For more information, visit www.quilcenefair.com.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
