Baker High School graduate Kade Rudi, who was picked to play in the East-West Shrine All-Star Football Game on July 27, 2024, handed out candy during the Haines Fourth of July parade on July 4, 2024.

BAKER CITY — Football and burgers go together, of course, but what about a parade and a fez?

In Baker City, that combination means one thing: It’s time for the East-West All-Star Shrine Game and a chance to raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals.

Over the years, this game has raised $2,995,218 to support the Shriners Hospitals. The 2023 game brought in $45,000, said Randy Guyer, a member of the Baker City Shrine Club.

Each year, 30 players and 30 alternates for each team are nominated from 5A to 1A schools across the state. They arrived in La Grande on July 21 to start practice

On Thursday, July 25, the teams travel to Baker City to tour the Baker Heritage Museum and head downtown where businesses have decorated windows to honor the players.

That day ends with dinner in Geiser-Pollman Park with players, cheerleaders, parents, Shriners and the community. The cost is $25 per plate and this year’s meal is a brisket sandwich with several side dishes.

Saturday

The big day is Saturday, July 27.

For the ninth year, the Baker County Cattlewomen and Baker County Livestock Association will kick off the day with the Gridiron Tailgate and Grill at Geiser-Pollman Park. They will serve up a steak and pancake breakfast from 7-10 a.m. ($12 or $7 without steak), and lunch from noon to 2 p.m. features ⅓-pound burgers ($10) and quarter-pound hot dogs ($8).

Vendors will be set up for the day, and spaces are available for $25. For information, contact Mary Ellen Anderson, 541-519-1224.

A silent auction runs from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and at 1 p.m. a live auction will sell two footballs signed by the players and two megaphones signed by the cheerleaders.

The Gridiron Grill raises funds to purchase a steer from the Baker County Fair that is donated for the half-time auction at the football game — a tradition that started when the Shrine game moved to Baker City in the 1970s. All proceeds from the steer auction are donated to the hospital.

Parade

Take a break from the park festivities and head downtown for the Shrine parade, which features a number of Shrine clubs as well as local entries. The parade starts at 11 a.m.

Entry forms are available at the Baker County Chamber of Commerce or by emailing randy@guyercpa.net. Or, show up at 10 a.m. when the parade starts lining up near Baker Middle School.

Game

The day culminates with the main event when the top high school football players take to the field at Bulldog Memorial Stadium to see who — the east or the west — will take home the win.

Tickets will be sold at Geiser-Pollman Park on Saturday, and at the gate before the game. Cost is $15 for reserved seating on the west side of the stadium or $12 for general admission.

The pre-game ceremony starts at 6 p.m., and kickoff is at 7 p.m. The game will be livestreamed on EOAlive, https://eoa.tv/.

The Shrine steer will be auctioned during halftime, along with signed footballs and a special helmet created by Craig Millman.