Hundreds enjoy Soap Lake Smokiam Days

SOAP LAKE — Under beautiful blue skies, people from around the Columbia Basin gathered to celebrate Smokiam Days in Soap Lake.

Opening day activities included a parade, bed races, vendors, community dinner and fireworks. On Sunday the event featured a pancake breakfast, horseshoe tournament, volleyball tournament and kids' karaoke session.

Smokiam Days runs through Wednesday with the Soap Lake Art Museum hosting an art show featuring Columbia Basin artist Don Nutt today and a raffle drawing closing the event tomorrow night at 8 p.m. at Beck Amphitheater in the East Beach park area.

A highlight of the event was the bed races, which took place Saturday after the parade.

Teams of five raced beds on wheels down Soap Lake's Main Street and turned on Canna Street for the finish. One person rode the bed as the other four ran, pushing it.

"It got off to a slow start … but it's worth a laugh," spectator Russ Rath of Soap Lake said with a smile.

The team from Don's Restaurant of Soap Lake won the race, the $50 jackpot and gift certificates to dine at their sponsor's establishment, according to event organizer Kelley Skotland.

The team from the Del-Red Pub of Soap Lake followed in second place and the bed from Susie's Souvenirs finished third in a field of five teams, she said.

This is Skotland's second year as an organizer and she coordinated the 52 entries in the parade.

She was asked what her favorite part of helping with the parade is.

"When it's done and you know you did a good job," Skotland replied.

She said she is planning to do it again next year.

The parade featured floats, antique cars, rodeo royalty and various groups walking the length of Main Street.

"It was good," Diedre Redburn of Moses Lake said. "I liked them throwing candy to the kids."

After the parade, the spectators made their way to the park to peruse vendors, enjoy the playground equipment, swim in Soap Lake and tour the Wanapum Native American Discovery Unit.

This was the first year the traveling exhibition on the Wanapum tribe was available for viewing at Smokiam Days, said Skotland. The exhibit is various museum-like displays in a bus, and was available for free viewing thanks to sponsorship by the Grant County PUD.

"(Smokiam Days) brings people out and gets them some sunshine. It was just fine," said Joyce Board of Ephrata. "We go for the old cars."

The event continues through Wednesday.

"I only lived here 6 or 7 years. I like the community participation," said Rath.