The busiest weekend of Enumclaw’s summer season is just two days away, with final arrangements being made for the downtown street fair and the Scottish Highland Games.
The Enumclaw Rotary Club is again sponsoring the street fair, which will operate from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. both Friday and Saturday.
Visitors will find Cole Street lined with vendors, live entertainment at two locations and fun and games for youngsters in the Kid Zone. In addition, there will be a variety of food and craft vendors and a Saturday morning fun run. New this year is a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.
Entertainment will be found on the main stage, which makes a slight move this year. It will be on Cole Street at Stevenson Avenue. Adding a new twist, a vacant lot adjacent to the stage will be turned into an outdoor, adults-only lounge where a vendor will serve beer, wine and spirits.
Acts also will perform at the corner of Cole and Myrtle Avenue.
For the 10th year, a Saturday morning 5K run/walk will begin and end on Railroad Street next to the public library. This year’s event begins with a “kids dash,” covering a little less than a mile, at 8:45, with the main event following at 9.
The early sign-up period has passed, but registration will be taken beginning at 7:30 Saturday morning at the race site. The cost is $12 for the kids’ event and $25 for adults; there’s also a $60 family rate.
Prizes will be awarded to top finishers, both male and female, in a variety of age categories.
Details can be found by visiting www.enumclawstreetfair.com and clicking on the “5K run/walk” link.
The 3-on-3 hoop tourney will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Friday. Four temporary courts will be set up on Kasey Kahne Drive, meaning the roadway will be off-limits to vehicles. The street will be closed at 6 a.m.
Registration for the tournament has closed.
Scottish Highland Games and Clan Gathering
The 70th annual Pacific Northwest Scottish Highland Games and Clan Gathering kicks off Friday evening, then gets rolling for the general public at 8 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday at the Enumclaw Expo Center. The fun continues until 11 p.m. Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
These Highland Games, hosted by the Seattle Scottish Highland Games Association, are the sixth-oldest in the United States and are the largest in Washington state. Last year’s event drew an estimated 20,000 visitors.
An annual highlight is the massing of the pipe and drum bands and the parade of the clans, which takes place at 12:30 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
Visitors can stroll through the Avenue of the Clans, delve into Scottish heritage or wind through the Hall of Vendors and the Celtic Marketplace to see the workmanship of Scottish artisans. Others will wander through the Scottish farm with shaggy Scotch Highland cattle and Clydesdale horses, visit the Celtic kennel or perhaps hoist a glass or two of Scottish-style ales.
The musical acts traditionally provide everything from quiet strings to raucous reels. Acts range from Blackthorn, which celebrates the traditional music of Scotland and Ireland, to the three-part harmonies of Golden Bough, and the popular Wicked Tinkers. As always, athletes will compete in traditional Celtic events like the caber toss and sheaf toss.
Tickets are $17 for adults per day or a two-day pass is available for $25. Reduced prices are available for senior citizens, children and active military. There’s a $7 daily fee for parking.
For information call 206-522-2541 or visit www.sshga.org.
