Oakville celebrates
old fashioned 4th of July
By Craig Murphy
Vidette Associate Editor
This article first appeared in 2002
Patriotism will be on display in Oakville on Saturday, July 6
in activities ranging from a traditional parade to a rodeo.
Dave Palmer, a volunteer with the Oakville Chamber of Commerce,
said the theme for this year's parade is "Honoring Our Heritage,"
a patriotic theme allowing groups to "come in and show patriotism"
to their country.
While other areas have parades for different events throughout
the summer, Palmer noted Oakville is rather unique in still having
a 4th of July celebration.
Palmer has been helping out with the celebrations since the early
1990s, when the parade was brought back. "It has picked
up quite a bit," he said of the popularity. "It's a
fun thing, and interest is picking up."
In recent years, approximately 50 entries have taken part in
the parade. Palmer said the number was about half of that in
mid-June, but he was expecting a large number of people to enter
shortly before festivities begin.
"We are still looking for entries," Palmer said. "People
can contact me or request information from the Chamber office
in writing."
Palmer can be reached at (360) 273-8117, while the mailing address
for the Oakville Chamber of Commerce is: P.O. Box 331, Oakville,
WA 98568.
The parade starts at 11 a.m. Entrants are asked to line up by
the school at 9 a.m.
A popular event introduced a few years ago will be taking place
after the parade: the reenactment of a bank robbery. Legend has
it the Sterling Bank in Oakville was the last one in the state
to be robbed by a bandit on a horse. The reenactment was started
in 1999 to celebrate the infamous event.
"The riders have fun, and everyone seems to enjoy it,"
Palmer said. "It catches peoples' attention. They get to
see a bank robbery. I think people come to enjoy the parade,
since not many are left in Washington on 4th of July weekend
anymore. The bank robbery is a plus."
At 1 p.m. is the Black Hills Wranglers Rodeo, which continues
Sunday at the same time. The rodeo includes calf roping, bull
riding, bareback bronco riding, bull dogging and barrel racing.
The city and the Black Hills Wranglers work together: the chamber
runs the parade, while the Wranglers run the rodeo.
"We've worked together-they are in the parade, and a lot
of us go to the rodeo," Palmer said, adding with a laugh,
"It's a good way to get a sunburn, and have fun. We're very
happy to have a full day of activities."
Part of Oakville's Main Street was repaved a couple of years
ago, and Palmer said other changes are happening in the city.
"Oakville is growing," he noted. "There's a new
restaurant in town. And the park is being updated. We hope to
have that done by the July 4th weekend."
The activities usually draw an estimated 3,000 to Oakville for
the weekend.
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