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Farmer Consumer Awareness Day Saturday in Quincy

by CHERYL SCHWEIZER
Staff Writer | September 8, 2023 1:00 AM

QUINCY — A parade down Central Avenue, dancing horses, three-on-three soccer, a car show, a tractor pull — all the good old events return to Quincy on Saturday on Farmer Consumer Awareness Day.

While technically it’s not part of FCAD, the B Street Block Party is an unofficial kickoff; it’s from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday. One block of B Street, from Central Avenue South to First Street Southwest, will host vendors serving food and wine, along with some merchandise. The Olson Brothers Band will be performing live.

Saturday’s events start early and run all day. Signup forms, or links to signup forms, are available on the FCAD website, www.quincyfcad.org.

The “Beat the Beast” run, in memory of Ben Horning, kicks off Saturday’s events. The race starts at 8 a.m., with same-day registration at 7 a.m. Runners and walkers have their choice of two-kilometer or five-kilometer courses. The course starts at Mountain View Elementary School, 119 D St. NW. Proceeds go to fund Quincy school athletics.

A ceremony in honor of military veterans whose names will be added to the Quincy Valley Veterans Recognition Wall is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Memorial Park, 200 E St. SE. The Memorial Wall commemorates Quincy Valley residents who served in the military anywhere, at any time and in any capacity. New names are added each year.

The Quincy United soccer club will sponsor a 3-on-3 soccer tournament for children and adults, with games for adults starting at 9 a.m. and the children’s tournament at 11 a.m. Proceeds go to Quincy United.

The annual parade starts downtown at 10 a.m. Parade entrants check in at the stand at the intersection of Central Avenue South and B Street SE, and the parade route snakes through downtown to Division Street East.

Entrants can start lining up at 8 a.m., with judging at 9 a.m. and awards announced at 9:45 a.m.

The parade ends at Quincy Middle School, where most of the afternoon’s activities are scheduled. The Quincy High School Future Farmers of America chapter will be selling apples, potatoes, onions and other produce in the QMS parking lot. The Quincy Rotary chapter will be selling barbecue for lunch in the QMS gym.

The annual car show will be at QMS, but drivers can show off their rides in the parade. Advance registration is available. Drivers who want to be in the parade must register by 10 a.m. Saturday and cars for the parade will assemble at the Quincy Swim & Gym, 10 B St.SE.

The car show will have awards for classic cars, antique cars, contemporary vehicles, works in progress and motorcycles, among others.

The annual quilt show will be in the QMS gym, with attendees getting a chance to vote for their favorites. Dancing horses and their owners will be showing their stuff in the field next to QMS. Children’s games are scheduled for the field behind QMS, and the annual tractor pull — which draws people to watch only that, said FCAD chair Wyman Duggan — will be behind the middle school.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.

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Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald

Pioneer Elementary School students led their classmates down the street in the 2022 Farmer Consumer Awareness Day parade. The annual town celebration returns Saturday.

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Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald

A potato and escort in the 2022 FCAD parade. Farmer Consumer Awareness Day 2023 is Saturday.

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Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald

An ear of corn needs some butter, supplied on a float at the 2022 Farmer Consumer Awareness Day parade. Saturday marks the return of the annual Quincy community celebration for its 42nd year.

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Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald

A tractor driver snaps a picture of the crowd at the 2022 Farmer Consumer Awareness Day parade.

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Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald

Spectators study a quilt at the 2022 FCAD quilt show. The 2023 quilt show will be at Quincy Middle School Saturday afternoon.

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Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald

A tractor fights the sled in the tractor pull at Farmer Consumer Awareness Day 2022. The tractor pull returns in 2023.