CONCRETE — It was almost lost in the dusty memories of yesteryear; nearly doomed to become nothing more than an amiable relic that once livened the streets of Concrete. But at a Lions Club meeting four years ago, Cascade Days got the breath of life it needed to beckon back some of the best of old-time Skagit County fun.

“I grew up in the town and experienced how it used to be,” said Rick Frank, president of the Cascade Days Commission. “It was something for the town to celebrate and just have a fun time during the summer.”

Frank said the event started as a way for the community of Concrete to get together and have a celebration. He said the event was popular for a while, but began to slowly fade away as the woman who formerly organized it couldn’t find enough help to keep it going.

“It died a natural death at that point,” Frank said.

But Frank and a few others decided to give Cascade Days a little festival CPR. They gathered volunteers, acquired some funding from the Lions Club and worked together to help the event attract more than 3,000 people last year, he said.

Frank was born and raised in Concrete and said that Cascade Days gives something special to everyone who attends.

“All facets of Cascade Days have good memories attached to them,” he said. “The valley needed those memories again.”

The memories this year might be a little soggy — if a visitor plans to watch the duck race that is.

Bonnie Drake, who has been involved with Cascade Days since it started up again, said a fish transport truck will hold a tank full of rubber ducks at this year’s festival.

People can buy a duck for $5 to help pay for the event and have their bird participate.

“We’re going to have them numbered, put them in the fish truck, then go on Main Street and dump them out,” Drake said.

As the rubber waterfowl wash down the road, the fastest ones win $100 for first place, $75 for second and $50 for third. Participants will be given duck calls to urge their miniature champions on.

“It’s a quick thing, but it’s fun to watch,” Drake said.

Another event at Cascade Days might make any nearby grass quiver with fear. The streets of Concrete will host the ground-gouging power of modified lawnmower races. According to Cascade Days Vice President John Burmaster, most normal riding lawnmowers can only clock about 3 to 5 mph.

“These aren’t your stock lawnmowers though,” Burmaster said. “They’ll do 35 to 40 easily.”

Contestants will race their souped-up lawn rockets and race to the finish line for prizes.

“Seeing a lawnmower going 40 miles per hour is pretty entertaining,” Burmaster said. “They’ll be flat-out moving.”

A new event this year will be the addition of a skateboarding contest on Sunday. Local athletes will likely be delighted to hear that famous skateboarder Ronson Lambert will host the event.

Many other events and activities will be offered, as well. Visitors can get their toes thumping to the tunes of Barefeet and Mountain Thunder, two local bands performing at the festival.

“lt will bring people from alll over,” Drake said. “It does so much good for the community.”

The parade will start at 11 a.m. on Aug. 18 at the west end of Main Street, followed by fun and activities. Cascade Days will conclude on Sunday at 2:30 with the watermelon-eating contest in Town Park.