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closeBonney Lake Days
A tradition on the hill expects a large turnout
Joan Cronk / for The Herald
David Wells, special events coordinator for Bonney Lake, made a promise that he knows he can back up. “This festival is going to be the biggest, fullest festival Bonney Lake Days has ever seen,” he said. According to Wells, Bonney Lake Days, which runs Saturday, Aug. 16 and Sunday, Aug. 17, has never been as big as it is this year.
Planners are trying to provide as much free entertainment as possible.
“With the downturn of the economy, we are trying to do as much as we can locally for as little price as possible,” Wells said.
The weekend starts out with a bang on Friday night at Allan Yorke Park with a concert by NoWhere Near Nashville, followed by the movie “Cars” in the park.
On Saturday the festival begins at 9:30 a.m. with a fun run and walk, sponsored by Fleet Feet Sports. The fun run, said Wells, “is a 5-mile run through the area around Allan Yorke Park. It is very hilly.”
Last year there were about 75 participants. Entrance fee is $10 and that includes a T-shirt and a raffle ticket for a drawing on the main stage at the park at 11 a.m., where Fleet Feet Sports will be giving away eight $25 gift certificates. Children under 12 can run or walk for free. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the race starting at 9:30 a.m.
Right after the fun run and walk, the parade, sponsored by Kitsap Bank, begins. The parade will have local police and fire departments, Roach Gymnastics, Dancemakers Northwest and the entire city council participating.
A car show will be running in the park, as well as nonstop entertainment and performances. The Great Pretenders will be headlining the evening performance.
More than 100 booths will pack the park.
“There will be lots of food, a number of craft booths, commercial booths and nonprofit booths,” Wells said.
Saturday’s events will culminate with a fireworks show at 10 p.m.
Ann Fish, vice president and branch manager of Heritage Bank in Sumner, has a water ski and wakeboard exhibition planned on Lake Tapps on Sunday as a way to “show people that Lake Tapps is some place that will give you a lot of recreational opportunities,” she said.
East Pierce Fire and Rescue will close off a section of the Lake at Allan Yorke Park for safety purposes and the show will last from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Folks can gather on the shore and every seat is a good seat,” Fish said.
Also on Sunday is a skateboard competition, sponsored by Rainier Boardshop. Registration, which is $10, starts at 10 a.m. and helmets are required. Folks can preregister at Rainier Boardshop.
There will be three categories: beginner, intermediate and advanced, said Lee Merryman, owner of Rainier Boardshop.
“Typically we get around 50 participants and there is no age limit,” said Merryman.
Last year the competition ran until about 4 p.m.
“Whatever it takes to get the thing done,” he said.
Whatever folks are looking for, it sounds like they can find it at Allan Yorke Park in Bonney Lake.