Smokiam Days: fun in sun

Aimee Seim/Columbia Basin Herald<br>Members of the Red Hat Society wave to the crowd on Main Avenue Saturday at the Smokiam Days parade.

by Aimee Seim<br>Herald Staff Writer
| July 4, 2006 9:00 PM

People want to see more of event type to bring community together

SOAP LAKE — Word on the street Saturday at the annual Smokiam Days festival was that small towns need to have more events like it.

"It's nice because it's a good little community event bringing people together," said vendor Amy Dalluge of Moses Lake. "These small towns, you don't have much for kids to do."

Saturday, however, there was plenty to see and do.

Festivities kicked off at 9 a.m. with the first annual Business Owners Bed Race.

Area businesses put together five-person teams to race down Main Avenue in uniquely decorated rolling beds.

Susie's Souvenirs won first place.

Owner of Susie's Souvenirs Jan Griffin said she found some of her team while conversing with locals at the Del Red Pub one day.

"How would you like to be in a bed race?" Griffin recalled asking one gentleman at the pub.

And to the man's mother, who happened to be with him she inquired "How would you like to ride in a bed?"

With that Griffin was able to begin getting a team together for the first time event. She described the experience as a chance to rally community spirit and pursuing her own goal of helping make Soap Lake a resort town.

"The businesses here are trying so hard to get together," Griffin said. "We want people to come and have fun here in Soap Lake."

As the morning continued the parade got under way at 10 a.m., with temperatures making for a hot day as many got under shade to stay cool.

Among those was Viola and Roland Peterson who moved to Soap Lake six years ago, but had not attended Smokiam Days for the last two years.

"We're pretty happy to be home this time," Viola said.

Since last coming, the Petersons agreed the event appears to have attracted more people this year.

The roughly hour-long parade featured participants from Soap Lake, Moses Lake and even Ritzville.

Mrs. Moses Lake 2006 Tiffany Cole made an appearance, as did Junior Miss Rodeo Washington Queen Ruby. The Mystic Dragon float from Ritzville added for a unique and colorful part of the parade.

In between floats small children waved flags and waited to catch candy.

Near the waterfront vendors Gaylon and Patricia Davidson of Cheney awaited for interested customers to peruse their stock of puppets and miscellaneous toys.

This was the first time for the Davidsons, who sell mainly at small town festivals, to come to Smokiam Days.

"They're more friendlier," Patricia said of why they focus on small town events.

"This is just an open weekend for us," Gaylon said of their decision to come this year.

Down the street at Las Brisas Performing Arts Center, the fifth annual photography show put on by the Art Guild of the Soap Lake area provided more things to see and do.

Sixty-six photographs were entered.

"We think the level of photographic composition is improving every year," said Al Lundberg, vice president of the Art Guild.

Lundberg added the show over the years has sparked Basin residents' interest in photography.

Winners included Caden Blankenship taking first place in the student division for "Butterflies," Terri Duffy with first place for "Winter Moonrise Blue Lake," Bill Correll second place for "No More Harvests," and John Glassco with third for "Soap Lake."

Winners were chosen for the quality of their photography, their ability to draw people in and have a focal point, Lundberg said.