Concrete River Fest is back

Cars and cruising, music and beer gardens, a Color Mob Run, a wet parade and a concert in the park will celebrate summer this weekend during the Concrete River Festival.

A variety of events, many of them new to Colfax, will be included in the festivities. Much of the action will be along Mill Street to avoid a Highway 195 traffic detour which was a detractor for past Colfax summer events.

One variation from prior Colfax summers will be the CRF parade which will start on Mill Street at 10 a.m. Saturday. The parade format will include dry and wet segments which will be separated. The wet segment will include a variety of water shooters except for water balloons which will be banned.

A run in the South Palouse River channel, an early morning half marathon and a Friday night car cruise up and down Mill Street will be among debut events.

The festival plans this year have been coordinated under the Downtown Development Association. Planning sessions have been conducted at Colfax City Hall with Mayor Todd Vanek as the chairman of the committee.

During the planning for the two-day festival other volunteers have assisted with the plans. Between eight and 10 people have participated.

FRIDAY

On Friday, July 26, starting at noon, a photography exhibit, “Our Palouse: People, Places and Possibilities,” will be at the library.

The UNI(verse) Lab comes to the festival from 1 to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, live bands will play in the Bank of America parking lot on Mill Street; downtown beer and wine garden will be from 5 to 9 p.m. and downtown business specials also will be offered at the same time.

A craft sale will be in the CETC building on Main Street starting at 5:30 p.m .; the Rolling Hills Derby Dames will hold a demonstration bout on Mill Street behind the Bank of America near the Spring Street intersection from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Cruise Night on Mill Street between Canyon and Harrison is from 9 to 11 p.m. and a dance at the Eagles Club will be from 9 to 11:59 p.m.

A midnight swim at the city pool will start at 9 p.m. This is a fund-raiser for former Colfax resident Naomi Hymas who had a major injury and is undergoing reconstructive surgery. The family now lives in Pocotello. Entertainment includes DJs Shawn Burt and Corey Pedersen.

SATURDAY

On Saturday, festivities begin bright and early with the Concrete River Festival half marathon. The run will begin at 6 a.m. at Schmuck Park and take runners on 13.1 miles along the North Palouse River road and finish back at Schmuck Park.

The Whitman County Chaplaincy benefit breakfast will be from 7 to 11 a.m. at the Colfax Methodist Church. All proceeds will go toward the chaplain’s program. United Methodist Women are having a craft sale from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the church.

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the photography exhibit continues at the Colfax Library.

The CETC building will again be filled with crafts from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The parade, sponsored by the Colfax Chamber of Commerce, will start at 10 a.m. on Mill Street by Rosauers, and be prepared to stay dry or get wet.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Fire Trucks and Hot Rides Car Show will be at the First Baptist Church lot on Mill Street.

The Kids’ Carnival will be at Eells Park, also from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The UNI(verse) Lab will again be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A change of pace will be the premiere of the Color Mob 5K Fun Run. About 500 people are registered so far and participants are welcome to sign up any time before the run begins at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Runners will start at Colfax High School football field and run south on Mill Street, slide down to the South Palouse River channel at Chase Bank, and run north in the concrete river under four bridges past the end of the concrete. They will exit the channel via an access road behind the Best Western, do a controlled crossing of Main Street and finish at Schmuck Park.

Participants can run or walk, but everyone will enjoy all the colors that are thrown at runners as they make their way along the trail, making a living piece of abstract art. It is a 3.1 mile route and is open to all ages and fitness levels.

“Everyone is a colorful winner,” according to the web site.

As runners cross the finish line, they can enjoy music and a beer garden at Schmuck Park.

The chamber also is sponsoring a “Duck Dash.”

Starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday is singer Sammy Eubanks with special guests Skivees who will play classic rock at Schmuck Park. Bring your chairs and blankets. Tickets are $10 each.

For more information and registration forms, go to http://www.concreteriverfestival.com.