Old-fashioned fun hits 'Tucna

WASHTUCNA - This was the place to be in Adams County to celebrate Independence Day, last Thursday, July 4.

A small crowd sat in the shadow of Main Street buildings to watch the Independence Day parade.

Bassett Park was filled for a community barbecue, compete with hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon and ice cream.

And nearly 20 teams signed up to compete in the inaugural Sonny's Iron Slinging Horseshoe Tournament.

This year's parade theme was "Country Life."

Madison Bartlett of Ritzville led the Kiddie Parade in advance of the main parade, which included Adams County deputies handing out candy along the route.

The Kiddie Parade featured decorated bicycles, wagons and more. Participants, identified only by their first names, included Ruger, Eli, Isaac, Sebastian, Willow, Oliver, Alivia, Kensley, Cole, Della, Hanna, Sarah and Jacob.

As the young paraders made their way past the center of downtown, Washtucna School band member presented the U.S. Flag, followed by Dave Baumann in a 1970 Mercury carrying this year's grand marshals, Byron and Karyn Allen.

The Allens are lifelong residents, and members of Washtucna Community Church, the Adams County Farm Bureau and Rimrock Grange. They have also been active with the Wheat Land Community Fair.

Byron Allen has been a local school bus driver for more than 3 years and Karyn Allen is a substitute teacher and a music teacher in Benge.

This year, the parade also featured a remote-control vehicle competent, with Luke Bauman, Edgar Coon and Elsie Coon, among others participating.

Parade entries included the 1952 Dodge pickup "Sonny's Mobile," restored and driven by Bruce Elliot and the "Gone But Not Forgotten" off-road vehicle honoring William Haffman and Blain Ebert - Zack Crouse and Cooper Jessop road on the entry.

The Ritzville "Moonlight Madness" float, featuring Miss Ritzville Temple Gefre and Princesse3s Brooklynn Norton and Madisyn Cameron, were among the favorite entries in the parade.

Classic cars making their way along the route included a 1929 Model A Roadster driven by Adams County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Flyckt and his wife, Ritzville City Clerk Julie Flyct.

The Flyckts were follwoed by a 1961 Volkswagen Beetle driven by Jim Preston and his wife, Joyce; and the 1930 Ford Model A "Old Yellow," driven by Judge Andrea Russell and her husband, Nick.

And there were horses.

From LaCrosse, Kasey Kane rode her horse Churro as a representative of the Ellensburg Roundup, the largest rodeo in the state of Washington; and Garrrett Kane rode his 3-year-old, Sparky.

The parade wrapped up with Gary Marmes of G Squared Agriculture on his tractor, followed by fire crews and their families from Washtucna and Benge.

Several of the fire trucks sprayed water into the air and onto the pavement to cool things down in the 90-plus degree heat.

The parade led Independence Day revelers to Bassett Park, where Rollin' Coal catered a free community barbecue and the Washtucna School band performed.

Community members Lora Hille and Bridget Coon, also took a few minutes to thank people for turning out, and to thank Innovia Foundation for helping raise funds to make the event happen.

Coon and her husband, Paul, then moved the crowd to the horseshoe pits for the inaugural Sonny's Slinging Iron horseshoe tournament.

Nearly 20 teams signed up to compete; official results were not available over the holiday weekend.

The Coons reopened Sonny's Tavern downtown and took on the task of adding the horseshoe tournament to this year's event.

"What's a Fourth of July without throwing horseshoes," Bridget Coon said, noting the old-fashioned fun will become a future mainstay at the Washtucna Independence Day celebration.

The winners each year will have their names added to a trophy inside Sonny's Tavern for all to see, she said.

"This will be bigger and better next year," she added.