Weather for the week of Aug. 18, 2025

Weather for the week of Aug. 18, 2025

UMANI Festival sees successes in 2025

MOSES LAKE – The Annual UMANI festival was held on Saturday this year on Third Avenue hosted by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, the Moses Lake Public Library and EDUBS. “It went really well,” said Colombia Basin Allied Arts Executive Director Shawn Cardwell. “We’re grateful to the city for hosting us so generously and I think every performance was fantastic, all the food was delicious, all the resources were engaging, and the lowriders were gorgeous.”

Food and Folk Festival returns to Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE — The Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival will have some changes the second time around. “This year we decided to have it a month earlier because last year on that day it was 100 degrees and higher,” said Ruthann Tobiason of Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee, which sponsors the event. “We know it kept a fair number of people away … We actually had a performer back out at the last minute because it was too hot and dang, I don’t blame her.” Last year’s one-day event drew a respectable turnout for an inaugural effort, enough that it’s been expanded to two days this year, June 20-21. Friday’s festivities will be homegrown, with an open mic at the Soap Lake Community Center and open mic followed by live music from Rebel Hearts at Cloudview Kitchen.

Music students perform at animal-themed recital

MOSES LAKE — Seventy-seven local music students from 5 to 17 years old performed at the ninth annual Celebrate Music Festival Saturday, according to an announcement from music teacher Marina Munter.

Weather for the week of Aug. 4, 2025

Weather for the week of Aug. 4, 2025

CBAA takes to the big screen

MOSES LAKE — Columbia Basin Allied Arts is branching out into the movies. “(It’s) part of our Civic Series vision,” said CBAA Executive Director Shawn Cardwell, “which is serving new audiences in non-traditional venues focused on collaboration.”

Troopers increasing patrols near Gorge this weekend

MOSES LAKE — The Washington State Patrol will ramp up enforcement this weekend around the Gorge Amphitheatre, according to an announcement from the WSP. The High-Visibility Enforcement, or HiVE, patrols are meant to reduce serious injury and fatality collisions, the WSP wrote. The WSP will partner with other law enforcement agencies in the effort.

High Desert Foxes

Local band to drop debut single Friday

SOAP LAKE — Progressive soul folk music may not have been a thing before, but it is now. “It’s a genre that we kind of created,” said Dusty James, singer with the local band High Desert Foxes. “We do soul music, we do folk music, and when we write our own music as a band, it becomes a new experience.” High Desert Foxes will debut its new single, “On the Road,” at Cloudview Kitchen Friday during the Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival. The progressive soul part of the genre owes a lot to the 1960s and 70s sounds of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, James said, and also has echoes of Sade and Lenny Kravitz.

Moses Lake Harvest Festival coming Saturday

MOSES LAKE — The Downtown Moses Lake Association will host its annual Harvest Festival Saturday, with music, games and food and craft vendors, according to the DMLA’s website.

Museum booth at UMANI Festival part of global day of play

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake Museum & Art Center announced their participation in the Our World: Worldwide Day of Play event this Saturday as part of the activities at its booth at the UMANI Festival. The festivities are set to run from noon to 6 p.m.

BASIN EVENTS Oct. 24-Nov. 1

COLUMBIA BASIN — Halloween is next weekend, and there are events galore, both scary and not. Here are some things to check out.

Gorge shooting trial rescheduled to 2026

EPHRATA — The trial in the case of James Kelly, the man charged in the June 2023 shooting that led to the deaths of two women at the Beyond Wonderland music festival held at The Gorge Amphitheatre, has been bumped to early next year, according to court documents.

Street party

Ephrata Sage-N-Sun coming June 13-14

EPHRATA — There are a few new things at the Ephrata Sage-N-Sun Festival this year. “We’re bringing back our 3-on-3 basketball tournament,” said Brittney MacLeod, director of the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce. “We’re adding a Kid Zone, which will include a dunk tank. There’s a petting zoo and a couple of different things for kids to do.” The basketball tournament, which will run both Friday and Saturday, has been on hiatus for a number of years, MacLeod said. “We’re excited to bring it back and add a youth aspect to draw families downtown and keep them downtown for the weekend,” she said.

Watershed celebrates another year at the Gorge

GEORGE – Over the weekend, the Gorge Amphitheatre became the ultimate country paradise as the Watershed Music Festival took center stage. With breathtaking views of the Columbia River Gorge serving as a backdrop, fans flocked to experience an electrifying line-up featuring stars such as Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Bailey Zimmerman and many more.

Washington State Patrol plans emphasis patrol around Gorge Amphitheater

QUINCY — The Washington State Patrol will be conducting additional patrols in the area around the Gorge Amphitheater this weekend, the first of a number of “High Visibility Enforcement” patrols scheduled over the summer. Jeremy Weber, WSP District 6 public information officer, said the goal is to ensure people get where they’re going and back home without incident.

More than just birds

The Othello Sandhill Crane Festival has something for everyone

OTHELLO — The Othello Sandhill Crane Festival is about much more than just the majestic birds it’s named for. Since the first festival 27 years ago, the Sandhill Crane Festival has ballooned to include tours and lectures to appeal to a wide range of enthusiasts. This year’s lineup includes lectures by experts in photography, geology, botany and more.

GALLERY: Sage-‘N-Sun 2025

EPHRATA — Ephrata’s annual Sage-‘N-Sun festival Friday and Saturday brought the community out for music, a parade, food and fun. Here are a few scenes from the event.

Classical singer, pianist to perform Saturday in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — The public is invited to a collaborative recital Saturday by pianist Oksana Ejokina and singer Misha Myznikov, according to an announcement from the Moses Lake – Central Basin Music Teachers Chapter of the Washington State Music Teachers Association, which is sponsoring the concert.

Senior calendar for July 2025

COLUMBIA BASIN — The thermometer is high and the fun awaits. Here are a few things seniors can get out and do around the Basin this month.

Gorge shooting suspect appears in court

EPHRATA – James Kelly, the suspect in the June 2023 shooting at the Beyond Wonderland music festival, appeared in court Tuesday morning when his defense team requested a continuance for his omnibus hearing.