Autumn hues to draw tourists, wine lovers

The turning of fall leaves has become a celebration for Concrete and surrounding upriver communities.

Beginning Oct. 11-13, the first ever Fall Colors Festival featuring the “The Magic 30 Miles” will be held.

The three-day event, inspired by the changing leaves, will hopefully encourage people to come up and see the beauty, said Valerie Stafford, event organizer and Concrete Chamber of Commerce president.

The chamber is sponsoring the event.

Stafford said she purposely scheduled the festival to coincide with the peak season of fall color along Highway 20.

“Our leaves are just incredible,” she said. “The hills just burst open with color.”

The event will feature The Magic 30 Miles — a stretch of Highway 20 from Sedro-Woolley to Rockport — that includes three participating wineries and a brewery that will provide tasting and other activities during the festival.

Festival organizers decided to create a multi-day event that focuses on traveling the 30 miles of Highway 20 and enjoying the scenery, Stafford said. It allows participants to create their own schedule and enjoy the variety of activities along the highway at their own pace.

Stephen and Susan Olsen, owners of Glacier Peak Winery in Marblemount, said they are looking forward to participating in the festival.

“There’s not much going on upriver ... so it’s nice to attract visitors to the area to see how beautiful it is,” Susan Olsen said.

The Olsens said the weekend should be an enjoyable time for visitors since they anticipate it will be time to harvest at their vineyard. It happens once a year and it would be exciting if it works out to be the same weekend as the festival, Susan Olsen said.

The winery will also provide vineyard tours and information regarding the history of wine making.

Aside from winery and brewery activities, the weekend will provide a variety of other events.

In downtown Concrete, visitors can observe professional chain-saw carver Steve Backus create a 32-foot longwooden sign that will stand 13-feet tall. The sign will be installed Oct. 13 at Town Park.

It will be a three-to-four day carving extravaganza, Stafford said. The sign was commissioned by the town of Concrete and will feature a variety of local icons such as eagles, salmon and a lion to represent Concrete High School’s mascot.

Backus said he will bring a crew of helpers to build the sign that would otherwise take him two months to complete on his own.

“This will be the kind of sign where people will get their pictures in front of it,” he said.

The purpose of the sign is to pull tourists off Highway 20 and encourage them to come through Concrete, Stafford said.

Opportunities to learn about Concrete’s history will be available during the festival as well. The historical aspect is a big draw for people, she said.

The Sockeye Express, an open-air trolley, will be in service Oct. 11. Visitors can ride the trolley while receiving a narrated tour of the town’s historical sites. The tours are by donation and proceeds will benefit the Concrete Heritage Museum.

Another historical perspective that will be held Oct. 11 is the kick off of the third annual Concrete Ghost Walk.

The ghost walk is an hour-and-15-minute guided tour where participants visit eight historical buildings, learn about their history beginning in the 1800s and possible inhabitants, Stafford said.

“It’s so neat because so many people get into it,” she said.

Stafford said she hopes many people in Skagit County participate in the festival to catch the fall colors upriver they may not otherwise have the opportunity to see.

“It’s a nice drive along Highway 20,” she said.

For more information, call Valerie Stafford at 360-853-7621 or visit http://www.concrete-wa.com.

Events: tour “The Magic 30 Miles”

Winery tours

Eagle Haven Winery

8243 Sims Road, Sedro-Woolley

Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tasting room and apple sampling

Birdsview Brewery

38302 Highway 20, Concrete

Saturday 12-10 p.m.

Sunday 12-7 p.m.

Brewery tours and samples

Challenger Ridge Vineyard and Cellars

43095 Challenger Road, Concrete

Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Oct. 11 will feature jet boat rides, a barbeque, pumpkin bowling, live music by the Troy Fair Band, winery tours and wine tasting.

Glacier Peak Winery

58575 Highway 20, Rockport

Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Possible viewing of harvest, vineyard tours, history of wine making information, wine tasting and special discounts.

Other activities:

Oct. 11

Marcia Kester to perform from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cajun Bar & Grill, 7296 Baker St., Concrete

Pianist Karen FitzGerald to perform from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Brookhaven Lodge Bed and Breakfast, 58468 Clark Cabin Road, Rockport

Skagit River Interpretive Center to provide guided walks and education videos on eagles and salmon from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Howard Miller Steelhead Park, 52809 Rockport Park Road, Rockport