The 2012 Mason County Forest Festival runs through this weekend. This year’s theme is “Olde Tyme Timber”. This is the 68th year for Forest Festival and activities start today (Thursday) with the Carnival.
Paradise Amusements Carnival runs four days and features rides, games and food vendors. Hours are 4 PM to 11 PM Thurs. & Fri., noon to 11 PM Sat. and noon to 6 PM Sun.
On Saturday, it’s the Goldsborough Creek Fun Run. Check in is 6 AM at Shelton Post Office with the seven-mile walk starting at 7 AM. The two-mile walk/run and the seven-mile run start at 8 AM. And the Junior Jog starts at 7th and Railroad at 9:30 AM. The awards ceremony is set for 9:35 AM.
Also Saturday, there will be exhibitors at Loop Field from 10 AM to 4 PM.
The Parade is on Saturday as well. First, it’s the family and pets parade at 10:30 AM on Railroad Avenue. The Paul Bunyan Parade is set for 11 AM and loops through downtown Shelton starting at 7th and Railroad, traveling east to 2nd, then north to Franklin and back to 7th.
The Logging Show is Saturday after the parade at Loop Field beginning at 1:30 PM. Loggers from the South Sound will compete in events that include Vertical Chop, Horizontal Chop, Spring Board Chop, Single/ Double Buck (one & two man), Axe throw, Speed Climb, Tree top, Obstacle Pole, Log Rolling, and Chair Carving. This year’s event will also feature the top two world record speed climbers: Stirling Hart from Canada and Brian Bartow from Oregon.
Saturday night is 94.5 Roxy Family Fun Night from 7 PM to 10 PM in the parking lot at Our Community Credit Union parking lot on Olympic Highway North. This event is a countdown to the fireworks display which includes family events and music.
The Fireworks start around 10 PM and will be launched from the field next to Oakland Bay Junior High School. The display, put on by Manke Lumber Company, can be seen from several locations but the best spots are in the Wallace Kneeland Boulevard area.
Forest Festival weekend wraps up Sunday with several events:
The Car Show-Off along Olympic Highway North in the Mt. View area attracts hot rods, and custom, classic and vintage cars as well as special interest vehicles from all over. Registration starts at 8 AM and the cars will be on display until 3 PM. Trophies will be presented at 2 PM.
The Tour de Mason Lake – Bike Ride starts with registration at Anytime Fitness on Olympic Highway North at 8 AM.
And finally it’s the Duck Float on Goldsborough Creek beginning in the morning.
More information on the 2012 Mason County Forest Festival is available at www.MasonCountyForestFestival.com.