The third annual North Powder Huckleberry Festival takes place Saturday, July 25. The little northeast Oregon town, located on I-84 between La Grande and Baker City, invites current and past residents and visitors to come celebrate their favorite flavor-packed wild berry and enjoy some small-town hospitality.
Activities get under way at 7 a.m. with the all-school and community reunion breakfast at the school. Everyone is welcome! Activities continue downtown with the opening of craft and food vendor booths at 10 a.m., followed by the Huckleberries on the Oregon Trail Parade at 11. There are games for kids of all ages, lawn mower show & shine and lawn mower races, a dog agility contest, live entertainment, a very popular barbecue prepared by the volunteer firemen and QRT, and an old-timers' gathering at the Huckleberry Patch on Second Street. The Wolf Creek Grange offers amazing huckleberry cheesecake and other delectible's, souvenir t-shirts and games such as Chicken Poop Keno! (We are a polite little town!)
The Aramark Huckleberry Dessert Contest takes place in the afternoon, with the entries auctioned right after judging. Cash prizes are $150 for the winner, $75 for Second Place and $50 for Third Place. Enter your favorite dessert or bid on a delicious entry. Dessert experts are encouraged to check your cookbooks and procure your huckleberries – the competition is going to be stiff and delicious! Judges are Aramark Chef Mike Morse and North Powder School Home Arts Teacher Sandra Colton.
There are many ways to get involved in the event, in addition to being a spectator. Craft and food vendors can register for a booth by contacting Bev Bigler, 541-898-2320 or blbig@uci.net. People wanting to participate in the Dog Agility contest can call Carolyn Flynn, 541-519-4017. To sign up for the parade, call Chris Aldrich, 541-910-4397, or frst_grd_tchr@yahoo.com. To enter the lawn mower races, contact Sue DeHaas, 541-898-2829. To order the North Powder Huckleberry Festival Cookbook, contact Laura Dougherty, gandl97867@gmail.com or call Jackie, 541-898-2547. The Aramark Huckleberry Dessert Contest and auction is certain to draw a crowd again. For information about the dessert contest, general information about the event or visitor information, contact Janet at Union County Tourism, 800-848-9969, visitlg@eoni.com, or go to www.visitlagrande.com.
