Lake Sylvia State Park is the place to be this Saturday for food, games and vendors at the eighth annual Lake Sylvia State Park Fall Festival.
Stet Palmer of the Friends of Schafer and Lake Sylvia (FOSLS) said this year the event will resemble previous years with a few exceptions and additional activities.
“We changed a few things around but other than that we’ve pretty much stuck with the formula,” Palmer said.
The festival will run from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 16. The event kicks off again this year with a pancake breakfast from 7 a.m.-11 a.m. Trail races including a half marathon, 10K and 5K start at 8:30 a.m. New this year is a canoe and Kayak paddle starting at 2 p.m.
“The State Park had a dock down there and our group has contributed some kayaks to them over the past couple of years so people could rent them,” Palmer said. “It’s a way to see the lake and not just walk around it but get on it and do some exploring.”
Kayaks can be rented the day of on a first come first serve basis and festival attendees are encouraged to bring their own kayaks if they have them.
“It’s a fun paddle and is not organized,” he said. “Tour the margins of the lake and see some of the natural surroundings from the water.”
The festival will present an artist market with 22 vendors from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
“It’s progressed (since 2010),” Palmer said. “We now have a lot more artist vendors coming to the festival and the quality is good.”
Live music will be at the park throughout the day as will food booths, vintage games for kids at 1 p.m. and nature arts and crafts from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Due to dry conditions and the continued risk of forest fires, the annual Boy Scout dutch oven cooking demonstration has been canceled because of a ban on open fires in state parks.
Palmer said about 500 people typically show up for the festival though it is difficult to arrive at an exact number because of the way the numbers are tracked, either by head counts or by car counts.
“We’ll see,” Palmer said when asked if FOSLS expects a similar turnout to past festivals. “We’ve done a lot of advertising and put up a lot of posters around town.”
The poster this year was designed by Beverly Lufkin who painted the poster just prior to her recent death on July 3 as a gift to the state parks and FOSLS.
“It was one of the last things she was able to do before she passed away,” Palmer said. “Each year we’ve had great posters but this is kind of a special one.”
All proceeds from the festival will go to the Lake Sylvia Legacy Pavilion, a multi-season pavilion planned for along the lake. Palmer said the community has pledged $200,000 for the project and has already collected more than $182,000.
Parking is limited at the park. Those wishing to park at Lake Sylvia will need to purchase a Washington State Park Discover Pass which are available at the park for $10 per day or $30 for an annual pass. A free shuttle will run every 15-20 minutes and will pick up and drop off at Simpson Elementary School for those who choose not to drive up to the festival themselves.
For more information on the Fall Festival go online to http://bit.ly/2wmF76d.
