Lots to do at Spring Festival this weekend

MOSES LAKE — Spring Festival, Moses Lake’s annual town celebration, returns this weekend with not one but two parades and three-on-three basketball, classic cars and experimental aircraft, music, the carnival and a fun run.

Most of the events are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, but the music starts Thursday afternoon. The alternative rock band Thief of Hearts will play at 4 p.m. on the Centennial Theater stage in McCosh Park. They’re followed at 6 p.m. by the classic rock-country band Stoney River. The Home Center is sponsoring a showing of the animated movie “Sing” at 8 p.m. in the park.

The Moses Lake High School band opens the bill on Friday night, playing at 5:15 p.m. with a “Salute to Veterans” program. They’re followed at 6 p.m. by country singer Jonathan Harris. Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, featured in the band Nelson and the sons of 1950s rock idol Rick Nelson, will play at 8 p.m.; their show is titled “Ricky Nelson Remembered.”

Most of the Spring Fest action is on Saturday. It starts with the Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in, from 7 to 11 a.m. at the Moses Lake Municipal Airport. The city airport is located at the intersection of Road 4 and Road L.

The three-on-three basketball tournament begins at 8 a.m., with courts set up on Third Avenue between Ash and Chestnut streets. The 5K and 10K fun runs start at 8 a.m. at the Surf ‘n Slide parking lot. Both courses head up Pioneer Way; the 5K course turns off on Nelson Road and returns to the water park on Division Street. The 10K course continues to Yonezawa Boulevard before the turn, heading back to the water park via Division Street.

The classic car show sponsored by the Moses Lake Classic Car Club will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Third Street between Fir and Cedar streets, outside Frontier Middle School.

The Kiddie Parade begins at 6 p.m. on Third Avenue, with assembly at Frontier. Kids will walk about two blocks to the intersection of Third Avenue and Ash Street. The Grand Moonlight parade begins at about 8:15, with the parade assembling at Lions Field and Frontier, continuing down Third Street to Pioneer Way, then down Fifth Avenue back to Lions Field.

Music and dance also are part of Saturday’s events. There’s even a little martial arts. The Freewind Martial Arts group, under the instruction of Jack Gibson, will demonstrate their skills at noon Saturday on the Centennial stage. They’re followed at 1 p.m. by the local dance company Dance FX and Rockin’ B Cloggers, led by instructor Toby Black. The marimba band from Sage Point Elementary will perform at 2 p.m. on the stage in Sinkiuse Square. The band is directed by Kim Patten.

The choir Voices of a New Day will be on the Centennial stage at 2 p.m., directed by Jenny Bright. The Big Bend Community College orchestra will perform at 3 p.m. on the Sinkiuse Square stage, directed by Michael Dzbenski. Today’s Generation Dance company will perform on the Centennial stage at 3 p.m., directed by Peggy Earl. They’re followed at 4 p.m. by the High Velocity Dance Company, directed by Lacy Stowers and Rion Miles.

The Zaniac Comedy show will be on the Sinkiuse Square stage at 7 p.m. The country band Whiskey Creek provides the music for the Saturday night dance from 8 to 11:30 p.m. on the Centennial stage.

Sunday begins with a worship service in McCosh Park. The weekend winds down with performances at noon by the local pop band Free Beer Nuts, local acoustic musician Rylei Franks at 2 p.m. and the classic rock band Foolish Fortune at 4 p.m.

The last event is scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday when swimmers take to the water and runners take to the course for the Spring Festival Triathlon-Duathlon. The triathlon starts with a swim in Montlake Park, followed by a 10-mile bike ride and a 3.5-mile run. The duathlon starts with a run, followed by the bike ride and the run. The courses start and end in Montlake Park.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.