5 Fun Community Events to Attend in Eastern Washington
I love Eastern Washington (aka the 509). My signature series is set here as are most of my other books (John Cutler/Flip-Flop Detective/Charlie-316).
I’ve lived here for close to four decades now and enjoy telling people about this region.
If you happen to visit this part of the country, here are five fun events to attend.
1. SkyFest at FAFB
Fairchild Air Force Base’s SkyFest is an amazing draw for Spokane County, Washington. Major acts such as the US Air Force’s Thunderbirds or the Navy’s Blue Angels have headlined the show. There are all sorts of interactive displays that visitors can touch or walk-through.
The two-day event is a must see for veterans, families of veterans, or anyone who just loves watching aerial displays of excellence.
Read more about it here: https://fairchildskyfest.com/
2. Sprint Boat Races in St. John
Webb’s Slough in St. John, Washington holds sprint boat races twice a year. Sprint boats are crewed by two people (driver/navigator). These boats zip through a twisting series of channels as they race against the clock. The water is usually less than four feet deep.
It’s extreme racing at its finest!
Read more about it here: https://www.webbsslough.com/
3. The Lind Combine Derby
Have you ever wondered what farmers do with their old combine equipment? In Lind, Washington, they hold a demolition derby!
The Lind Combine Derby is a two-day event filled with races, music, food, and the demolition derby!
Read about it here: https://www.lindcombinederby.com/
4. The Omak Stampede
A four-day rodeo event that’s capped off with a crazy ‘Suicide Race.’ This event takes over the city of Omak, Washington. If you haven’t heard about the Suicide Race, it’s hard to imagine it.
Except for safety measures that have been added, the race is run today as it was in 1935 "no holds barred" on a course that starts 50 feet from a sandy bluff across the Okanogan River from the Stampede arena. Horses and riders race 225 feet down the bluff to the river, swim or wade across and dash 500 yards to the finish line in the center of the Stampede arena.
Read more about it here: https://www.omakstampede.org/
5. Columbia Cup/Tri-Cities, Washington
Thirty-foot-long hydroplanes speed over the water in this Tri-Cities, Washington event. Powered by turbine engines capable of nearly 3,000HP, these boats are beasts of the waterways. They reach speeds of two hundred miles per hour!
According to the website, the hydroplanes can travel the length of a football field in a second.
Think about that. Wow!
Read about it here: https://waterfollies.com/
Have you attended one of these events?
If so, what did you think?
Or would you like to visit eastern Washington
and check one (or all) of them out?
