Old Mill Days packed with events

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Jul 08, 20150

Oakesdale’s Old Mill Days is set for the third year of its revival. Brought back in 2013 by a group of organizers from the town’s McCoy Valley Museum, it has succeeded and grown.

This year for Saturday’s event, softball is added to the schedule of attractions including the kids’ triathlon, parade, beer garden and music, Hanford Castle tours and a first in the revival – an all-school reunion which falls every five years in Oakesdale.

For music, headlining on the stage next to the firehouse, Keith and the Hankers will play for their first time in Oakesdale from 8 to 11 p.m.

The day will begin with a Fireman’s pancake breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. with a five-mile run starting at 8 a.m.

At 10:30 a.m. parade entries will begin to line up with the start set for 11 a.m.

Featured entries include the Shadle Park Bagpipers from Spokane, Garfield-Palouse royalty and state representatives Joe Schmick and Mary Dye.

The starting gun for the kids’ triathalon is at 12:30 p.m. with a swim, bike and run.

This is the second year of the event, with a downtown finish line in front of the bus garage.

“It was pretty popular last year,” said Jake Dingman, Old Mill Days director.

At 1 p.m. the Egg Toss will get underway, sponsored by AmericanWest Bank. Various kids’ games will go on all day at the park.

Craft and food booths will also be open throughout the day.

Food will include hamburgers and hot dogs, barbecue from Dave and Becky Israel and the Masons with a waffle cone ice cream wagon.

In the late morning, at 11 a.m., the beer garden will open outside the fire station and run until midnight.

At 5 p.m. the first musical act begins, Tone Sober, featuring Oakesdale School music director Nick Wright and four others from Colfax.

“Songs you want to hear played by guys you’d want to hang out with,” said Nick, describing the group.

In the early afternoon, from 12 to 3 p.m., buses will pick up visitors every half hour for a tour of the Hanford Castle, the grand property on the hill just outside town.

Additional all-day events include a car and tractor show and museum tours. As part of the day’s festivities, an estimated 300 alumni are expected for the bi-decade all school reunion.

All told, Old Mill Days aims for another memorable chapter in its history.

“We’ve had such good support these last two years, I’ll be excited to see how it is this year,” said Dingman. “I get people asking me about it, giving me ideas all year.”

The night before, bingo will be held at the museum from 6 to 8 p.m.

“It’s a great day,” said Dingman. “I hope everyone can come down.”