Annual event in Sedro-Woolley extended to three days of fun

SEDRO-WOOLLEY — The Chamber of Commerce’s annual Blast from the Past celebration and sidewalk sale has always been a success.

But now that the Chamber has extended the event from two days to three to enjoy festivities that include a pie-eating contest, car show, music, food and, of course, the giant sidewalk sale, merchants and residents are gearing up for an even more profitable year.

“It’s one of the things I’ve been pushing for,” said Tim McCray, Chamber treasurer, about extending the 1950s-themed event into Sunday. “We wanted to attract more arts and crafts vendors, and a lot of the ones out of the area won’t come up for a one-day event.”

Paul Kelley, owner of Cascade Fabrics, said the event started out several decades ago as a giant sidewalk sale to draw shoppers downtown and give local merchants a boost. At the time, downtown was a thriving shopping destination, he said.

But as businesses began to close, organizers had to come up with another way of keeping the annual event alive. So they orchestrated a family-friendly event fashioned as a throwback to the simpler times of the 1950s.

Through the years, the Blast has expanded to include a classic car show, kids’ contests, dozens of arts and crafts and vendor booths, food, music, dancing and a variety of specialty displays.

This year’s Blast kicks off Friday at noon with a lineup of about 40 vendor booths selling everything from handmade clothing and jewelry to art and cosmetics along Metcalf Street. And don’t forget to stop by the local shops to check out the sale merchandise, organizers say.

Saturday’s schedule includes the classic car show along Metcalf; the pie-eating, hula-hoop and jump-rope contests; old-fashioned rock and roll music by Sedro-Woolley’s own Smith Brothers; and a “car bash,” where visitors pay $1 to take a whack at a donated car to raise money for Teen Space in Sedro-Woolley.

The nonprofit Serving Women Across Nations (SWAN) will host its first Century and Family Fun Bike Ride to raise money to help needy women and children in Bolivia and Kenya, starting at 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

On Sunday, the Sedro-Woolley Fire Department will display its emergency vehicles and its fire safety house. Also along Metcalf Street, visitors can peruse a showing of tractors and antique farm equipment.

Saving Pets One at a Time (S.P.O.T.) plans to set up a pet adoption center near the Sedro-Woolley Museum, which will host an open house.

And again, visitors can enjoy the vendor booths, food, dancing by the Skagit Squares and another car bash.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Friday-Sunday, June 5-7

Metcalf Street Sedro-Woolley

FRIDAY, June 5

Noon to 7 p.m.: Arts, craft and food vendors

SATURDAY, June 6

6:30 a.m.: SWAN’s Century and Family Fun Bike Ride sign-in (http://www.blastfromthepastcentury.org)

9 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Arts, crafts and food vendors

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Classic car show; awards at 3:50 p.m. at Hammer Heritage Square

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Car bash to raise money for Teen Space

Noon to 4 p.m.: Smith Brothers perform rock and roll, Hammer Heritage Square