Hullabaloo tabled: Concrete River Festival on track

Plans for the Concrete River Festival later this month are rolling along, but a second festival in Colfax scheduled in October has been canceled.

Hullabaloo, which had a strong start seven years ago, waned in the last year and Colfax Chamber of Commerce board members decided to cancel it this year at the board’s Monday night meeting.

“We will support it if someone wants to do it, but we will not sponsor it,” said Kathy Clark, chamber secretary.

“We don’t have the manpower.”

Clark also said the chamber could revive Hullabaloo next year.

“It’s not dead. It doesn’t mean we can’t do it next year.”

At its meeting last week, Concrete River Festival committee members discussed taking over Hullabaloo. Consensus at that time was to let Hullabaloo go until next year and the committee then might explore the possibility.

In the meantime, organizers for the Concrete River Festival July 26-27 are making final plans for the event.

According to the festival’s web site, the Concrete River Festival is a return of Colfax’s summer festival called Concrete River Days and Crazy Days before that.

The festival begins at noon Friday with “Our Palouse: People, Places and Possibilities” photography exhibit at the Whitman County Library.

Colfax businesses will have specials Friday afternoon and local bands will provide music downtown in the Bank of America parking lot and a beer garden will be located downtown.

First Baptist Church gym will be full of local arts and crafts Friday afternoon and the Rolling Hills Derby Dames will hold a bout on Mill Street that afternoon. Topping the night off will be Colfax Cruise Night on Mill Street between Canyon and Harrison.

Capitalizing on Colfax’s reputation as a speed trap, the cruise welcomes any type of vehicle to cruise Mill Street for a chance to get a “ticket,” which is actually a prize, from local law enforcement. Each “ticket” is a spot prize for whatever the officer thinks is an unusual mode of transportation. The ticket comes with a chance to win a bigger prize. Tickets also can be purchased. Prize drawings will be held later that evening.

The festival starts bright and early at 6 a.m. Saturday morning with the CRF Half Marathon.

Sponsored by the Colfax chamber, the parade will be Saturday at 10 a.m. and will go down Mill Street. Entry forms are available on the festival web site. Make sure to indicate if you want to get wet or stay dry.

The Colfax Car Show will be at the Baptist Church parking lot on Saturday. A $10 entry donation goes to the fire department. All cool cars, trucks, motorcycles and other hot rides are welcome. Sign-up forms are also available on the web site.

A car smash will be at Jim’s Service Center next to the courthouse.

The Kid’s Carnival begins at 10 a.m. at Eels Park.

The festival has a change of tone with its premiere of the Color Mob 5K Fun Run.

Runners will start at Colfax High School football field and run south on Mill Street, slide down to the Palouse River channel, run in the channel, then climb up the bank, cross Main Street and finish at Schmuck Park.

Starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, participants can run or walk, but everyone will enjoy the colors. The run is 3.1 miles with colors thrown at runners as they make their way along the trail, making a living piece of abstract art.

So far, about 400 entrants for the Color Mob Run on Saturday have registered and many more are expected.

The run is open to all ages and fitness levels, and it is untimed. “Everyone is a colorful winner,” according to the web site.

When runners cross the finish line, they can enjoy music and a beer garden at the Schmuck Park finish line.

The park will have food as well as spirits.

Starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday singer Sammy Eubanks with special guests Skivees will play classic rock at Schmuck Park. Bring your chairs and blankets. Tickets are $10 each.

For more information and registration forms, to go to http://www.concreteriverfestival.com.