By Jason Miller
Posted 7.17.12

Summer is finally here, bringing a slew of community festivals to the Upper Valley.

Lyman Car & Craft Show
Lyman kicks off the month with its biggest event, the Lyman Car & Craft Show on July 7. Cars will start rolling into town and lining up on S. Main St. at 8 a.m., which is when Lyman Tavern will begin serving breakfast.

“We’re expecting a whole lot of cars this year,” said booth coordinator Sonja Haigh.

The car show seems to break records every year, with well over 100 cars lining the town’s main drag. The vehicles are loosely organized, making it easy for visitors to slowly stroll through and linger over their favorites.

Car owners who wish to show off their babies can register on the day of the event or by sending their $15 registration fee to Sonja Haigh at P.O. Box 1363, Lyman, WA 98263. Call 360.826.4906 for details.

In its 12th year, the annual car show added a crafts component in 2009. Haigh said this year’s booths will have something for every family member.

Look for jewelry, doughnuts, airbrush tattoos, free sno-cones and popcorn from Lyman Church, gifts from All-Valley Storage & Gifts, the Les Schwab pitching speed truck, folding camp tables, purses made from cat food bags (yes, you read that right), baby items, and more. A henna body artist who’s been at the show from the start will return too.

The Lyman Car & Craft Show raises money for the Lyman Park & Cemetery Fund for maintenance and improvements to those in-town amenities, which are not supported by taxes. All proceeds from the registrations to a 50/50 raffle, general raffle, silent auction, and t-shirt sales go to the cause.

With outdoor music, a food court, and of course shining cars and fun craft booths, the Lyman Car & Craft Show should be a popular destination on July 7.

Concrete Youth Activity Day
This year’s youth activity day—free to all comers—is scheduled for Thur., July 19, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Silo Park and Veterans Memorial Park in Concrete.

Sponsored by Skagit County Community Services and Puget Sound Energy, the event includes resource and activity booths with information and fun distractions for parents and kids. A check-point game keeps everyone engaged and visiting as many booths as possible.

Other attractions include a bounce house, live music from 12:30 to 2 p.m., the always-popular skateboard competition and field games from 2 to 3:30 p.m., and live music from 3 to 4 p.m.

Hamburgers, hot dogs, and drinks will be served from 1 to 2:30 p.m., courtesy of Concrete Lions Club members. Ice cream will be available from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Attendees will want to stick around for the Awards ceremony and raffle drawings at 4 p.m. (must be present to win).

At dusk, the party moves to Veterans Memorial Park, across from the Resource Center on Main Street, for a free family movie. Popcorn and water will be provided at the showing.

In its fifth year, Concrete Youth Activity Day’s growing attendance demonstrates its popularity among all family members. It’s an afternoon of fun and valuable information for everyone, and the price is right (free, remember?).

Concrete North Cascades Vintage Fly-In
Smaller planes of all makes and vintages once again will land at Mears Field in Concrete for three days of supercharged fun. In its 29th year, the fly-in has grown into one of the premier events for vintage, classic, and antique airplane enthusiasts.

The three-day event runs from July 27–29, with early arrivals landing on the first day, Friday.

Traditionally the most popular day to visit, Saturday begins with a breakfast served from 7 to 11 a.m. at Concrete High School across the street from the airport. Food vendors will be available at the airport for meals and snacks throughout the day.

Judging of the planes also will take place throughout Saturday. Visitors are invited to stroll among the parked planes, which will be parked in a more consolidated fashion this year because event organizers expect an even higher number of participants.

Visitors are reminded to exercise caution at the fly-in: Stay well clear of the runway.

Cement City Street Fair
Billed as “healthy summer fun,” the fifth annual Cement City Street Fair returns to Concrete Town Center for another round of targeted entertainment.

Sponsored by United General Hospital, in partnership with the Concrete Chamber of Commerce and local businesses, the street fair is “our way of reaching out and meeting people,” said Valerie Stafford, director of communications and development at United General. “We like bringing healthy resources to Concrete and we enjoy the partnership with the Concrete Chamber and local businesses.”

The fun begins at 8 a.m. with the Cinder Shins 5K Fun Run, sponsored by Concrete Herald (see ad, p. 9 of the July print edition).

At 9 a.m., Encore Fitness will present a Zumba workout on Main Street, with everyone encouraged to join in. Zumba is a Latin-based dance workout for people of all fitness levels.

Throughout the day, a variety of health and fitness screenings and resources will be provided by United General, including blood pressure checks and lung testing. Main Street will be lined with arts and crafts booths and sales tables.

KSVU 90.1 FM will broadcast live from the event, with volunteers on hand to share information about the new station.

A Motorcycle Show sponsored by Eagles in Flight is open to bikes of all makes and models. Check-in is required by noon, with judging taking place at 1 p.m.

“Touch a Truck” is a new feature at this year’s event. Children will have a hands-on opportunity to explore a variety of vehicles, which may include fire trucks, utility trucks, construction trucks, police cars, and tractors. Children will be invited to touch the vehicles, climb in, and learn about them and the people who use them every day.

For kids on wheels, there will be a bike rodeo, and Safe Kids Skagit also will offer bike helmet fitting. Other children’s activities include bubble play, chalk art, and face painting.

Music will be provided by Marcia Kester, singer/guitarist from Mount Vernon, and singer Dave Chapman (The Midnight Son), from Concrete.

Free films can be viewed throughout the day at Concrete Theatre, featuring 54 “bite-sized movies” about food. The short films and video clips focus on farm to fork, food and community, edible education, and healthful cooking.

More information about the event is at www.unitedgeneral.org. Applications for hosting an activity or booth are being accepted until 5 p.m. on July 16. For more information or to request an application, contact Meredith McIlmoyle at United General Hospital at 360.856.7615 or [email protected].

PSE free tours
Running concurrently with the fly-in and street fair on Sat., July 28, Puget Sound Energy will provide free public tours of its Baker River Hydroelectric Project in and near Concrete.

Travelling by bus from Concrete (loading/unloading at Concrete High School near the airport), tour participants will make stops at both of PSE’s large Baker River dams. They’ll also visit the utility’s extensive facilities for boosting the river’s salmon runs.

Tour reservations are required and availability is limited. For more information or to book a reservation, call PSE at 360.766.5656 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. See also the ad on p. 3 of the July print edition.