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Community

Ephrata shows its colors during Sage-N-Sun festival weekend

Large crowds enjoy plenty of sights and sounds.

Updated
Ephrata shows its colors during Sage-N-Sun festival weekend
A Star-Spangled theme was featured on many of the entries in Saturday's Grand Parade. Photos by Randy Bracht

EPHRATA — Having fun at Sage-N-Sun.

Ephrata’s annual summer celebration attracted large crowds over the weekend to enjoy a variety of activities, highlighted by Saturday’s Grand Parade through downtown.

A float carrying military veterans served as grand marshals in recognition of the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday, and the Red, White and Blue was displayed in a wide array of flags and bunting across the community.

Events began Thursday evening with the Ephrata Rotary Club Youth Parade, then continued through Saturday. Centered around the Grant County Courthouse, there were musical performances Friday and Saturday evenings, market and food vendors, games, a kids play zone, beer garden, outdoor basketball tournament, fun run and more.

The Ephrata Chamber of Commerce, numerous local businesses and organizations, and volunteers helped sponsor the festivities. Here’s a look at some of the scenes:

Military veterans served as grand marshals for the parade.
The Ephrata High School marching band and cheerleaders helped kick off the festivities.
Whether traveling by float ...
... or on foot
... there was a lot to cheer about.
There were all-star baseball teams, such as Ephrata's U-12 squad.
Giant horns.
Giant chickens.
Even giant guitars.
Some weaved through the downtown streets by kiddie train.
Others synchronized their weaving on larger, two-wheeled conveyances.
There were plenty of waves to the crowd, including one from tractor-driving Dick Russell (above), and another from Miss Moses Lake Roundup queen Kaylee Stump (below), who chose a different form of horsepower for her transportation.
In the midst of it all, teams competed in the 3v3 basketball tournament sponsored by the City of Ephrata's Parks and Recreation Department.
Kids were hooping it up ...
Driving for two ...
... and battling beneath the boards.
A variety of vendors and food trucks drew large crowds around the courthouse area.
Meanwhile, at the Grant County Historical Museum, the annual Living Museum event was underway. Donna Anderson (seated in back) served as schoolmarm in the one-room school house. With a smile, she cautioned visitors to behave or they might find themselves wearing a dunce cap and standing with their nose against the wall. Old school indeed.
In the museum's print shop, Dennis Buchmann was making it all add up on the collection of old calculators.
And 19-year-old Zenda Hoskins was marveling at the functions of a manual typewriter, a far cry from today's digital devices. Hit those keys harder.
Museum visitors also got to watch two gunslingers test their quick-draw skills in mock shootouts on Main Street.
Six-shooter and a bag of gold (or reasonable facsimile) in hand, 80-year-old Ray "Ephrim" Carvo took a break on the museum's boardwalk after participating in a mock bank robbery thwarted by the town marshal across the street.
Randy Bracht, Editor profile image
by Randy Bracht, Editor
Updated

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