Winterfest draws little turkey bowlers
Candice Boutilier/Columbia Basin HeraldJoe Bowen, 4, Soap Lake, threw a frozen turkey at bowling pins to knock them down during Winterfest in Soap Lake Saturday morning.
SOAP LAKE - Hundreds of people flooded the streets of Soap Lake to enjoy Winterfest Saturday.
One of the popular events, turkey bowling, drew people of all ages.
Joe Bowen, 4, Soap Lake, took a shot at throwing a frozen turkey down a hay bale-lined chute to knock over several bowling pins.
His first try was unsuccessful, so he walked down the chute, stood directly in front of the pins and tossed the turkey and knocked down several.
Bowen said his favorite part is throwing the turkey.
The task proved difficult for the smaller children.
One boy was seen attempting to toss the frozen turkey down the chute only to have the turkey fly out of the packaging.
Several of the children were given the opportunity to walk right up to the pins in an effort to knock them down.
Turkey-bowling volunteers Randy Downing and Rick Keating helped collect cash and set up pins.
Downing said they try to make sure the kids are successful at knocking the pins down to win the frozen turkeys. A strike equals a free bird.
He said the cash collected to toss the turkey goes toward next year's Winterfest.
Downing said his favorite part of Winterfest is the art show because his wife Katherine is showcasing several pieces there.
The art show is sponsored by the Art Guild of Soap Lake. It is located at city hall and runs every Friday and Saturday until Christmas from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Another popular event was the cake walk.
Volunteer Sue Zimbelman said she and other volunteers made approximately 150 cupcakes. She worried she would run out before the end of the day.
Several children were seen running in circles on the cake walk squares and scrambling to find the winning square once the holiday music stopped.
She said she has helped out with other Winterfest children's games in past years but decided to volunteer with the cake walk because it is an event suitable for the smallest kids to handle and have fun.
Zimbelman said her favorite part about the Winterfest celebration is watching the children and seeing Santa.
Winterfest has been celebrated in Soap Lake for the past 25 years.