The Pioneer 5K Fun Run on June 15 supports the McLoughlin High School athletic department.

Plan ahead for city-wide yard sales

MILTON-FREEWATER — Participants interested in the city-wide yard sales during Weekend at the Blues Aug. 1-4 are encouraged to sign up soon at weekendattheblues.com.

Those who register will have their sale added to the calendar. For information, contact Sharee LaRue-Wright at competitornews@yahoo.com.

‘The Loop Ninja’ performs May 24

LA GRANDE — Tony Smiley, known as “The Loop Ninja,” will perform live with Bag of Hammers on Friday, May 24, at HQ, 112 Depot St. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. There is a $10 cover for all ages. Admission is free for Eastern Oregon University and Blue Mountain Community College students.

Smiley’s musical talents include vocals, guitar, bass, keys, drums and beat boxing. He’s performed with live looping techniques since 2000, and his style ranges from rock, hip hop, reggae, world tribal fusion, ‘80s and more.

Annual catfish derby is coming right up

HUNTINGTON — The annual Memorial Day weekend catfish derby in Huntington is May 25-27 and is based out of Lions Park with fishing on nearby Brownlee Reservoir. Entry is good for three days and costs $10 for ages 14 and older, or $5 for ages 5-13. Register at Lions Park on Friday or Saturday morning. Prizes will be awarded for the trophy fish and four biggest catfish in both divisions.

The weekend also features food at the park cook shack — breakfast and lunch (including fried catfish) — as well as music by Makela French and Friends on Saturday from 1-4 p.m.

Saturday night’s barbecue chicken dinner starts at 3 p.m. and costs $12 adults or $10 children.

For updates, check the “Huntington Oregon Lions Catfish Derby” on Facebook.

Fort Walla Walla Museum presents John Gray

WALLA WALLA — An opportunity to hear a composite tale, an epic really, from a man who has walked the talk of the Lewis & Clark Expedition offers itself when “John Gray” of the Touchet Valley Fur Company comes to Living History at the Fort Walla Walla Museum on Sunday, May 26, at 2 p.m.

The persona of Gray will speak in the Pioneer Village or the Grand Hall depending on the weather.

A group of regional historians created the Touchet Valley Fur Company to transform themselves into expeditionary men of the 1803-1806 exploration. They wanted to immerse themselves in southeast Washington’s terrain and what it would dish out.

Gary Lentz as John Gray has for many years reenacted and demonstrated the medical aspects, military customs, plants, animals, weapons, scientific instruments and relationships of the expedition’s movements regionally. They even made a dugout canoe.

The museum is located at 755 NE Myra Road. For more information, go to their website fwwm.org or call 509-525-7703.

VFW planning a tribute to veterans

UNION — The VFW Post 4060 in Union, 518 N. Main St., will present a tribute to veterans on Saturday, May 25. Dinner starts at 3:30 p.m. and the music will run from 4-6 p.m. with the Blue Mountain Old Time Fiddlers.

The menu is barbecue pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, potato salad and dessert with coffee, tea, juice and milk. Cost is $15 per person.

A flea market and train rides

SUMPTER — The Sumpter Valley Railroad rolls along for Memorial Day weekend with short, six-mile rides (about 45 minutes) from the Sumpter Depot, 211 Austin St.

This also corresponds with the annual Sumpter Flea Market, which fills the town’s streets with vendors all weekend.

The train leaves the depot at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26, and 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 27. Fares are $18 for ages 18-64, $12 for ages 3-17, $15 for ages 65 and older or military/veterans.

To make reservations, visit sumptervalleyrailroad.org.

Tour the Eastern Oregon Museum May 27

HAINES — The Eastern Oregon Museum in Haines, 610 Third St., will have an open house on Monday, May 27, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors can learn about the completed roof project and see two Gary Ernest Smith paintings that are on special display.

Piano concerts planned in Eastern Oregon

EASTERN OREGON — Musician Daniel Adam Maltz travels with a fortepiano, and this weekend he’ll give three performances across the region.

Here are details about the shows:

• May 22, 6 p.m., The Spray General Store, Spray. Admission is by donation.
• May 24, 6 p.m., Churchill School, 3451 Broadway St., Baker City. Tickets are $18 in advance at churchillbaker.com or $25 at the door (free for ages 15 and younger who attend with a paid adult).
• May 26, 7 p.m., Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Joseph. Tickets are $20 at josephy.org

The instrument Maltz plays has 61 keys, as opposed to the 88 on a modern piano. Maltz’s fortepiano is similar to the ones composers like Mozart and Beethoven played as they wrote their keyboard music. It has a lighter tone than a bigger piano, he said, and it’s better suited for the smaller venues where he likes to perform.

“This year, my tour is going to bring me into more than 70 cities, and I travel and bring my instrument to every one,” said Maltz, who’s based in Vienna. “Definitely a lot of work.”

Wallowa celebrates alumni May 25

WALLOWA — The Wallowa History Center is dedicated to preserving the communities’ history in all areas — people, places and events — and this weekend celebrates a tradition that dates back a century.

Marilyn Hulse, of the Wallowa History Center, said the most revered celebration and the one that has touched the most people over the years is the annual Alumni event on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend that started more than 100 years ago. It has been a dinner and dance, a dinner only and is now a meet and greet at the school with school building tours, a light appetizer meal in the late afternoon and much visiting.

Graduates from every class in history are invited to come every year if they wish. Every 10 years, each class is an honor class. The ending number of the year determines the honor classes — this year the honor classes are 2014, 2004, 1994, 1984, etc.). The current graduation class is introduced and scholarships are awarded.

The Alumni celebration will be held at the Beth Johnson Room of the school on Saturday, May 25, starting at 3 p.m.

A meal has been served in Wallowa for the community and the out-of-town visitors on Memorial Day weekend since the 1930s. It has been a noon dinner, a brunch and is now a pancake breakfast, Hulse said. This meal will be served at the Wallowa Senior Center from 7-11 a.m. on Sunday, May 26.

“Memorial Day weekend is in many ways Wallowa’s homecoming as our alumni return to visit one another and families return to place flowers on their loved one’s graves,” Hulse said.

Other local traditions include Tamkaliks in July (more than 25 years), Fourth of July celebration (started 1910 and revived in the 1980s) and lighted star at Christmas and cross at Easter has happened for more than 50 years.

Pioneer 5K fun run planned for June 15

MILTON-FREEWATER — Lace up your running shoes and mark your calendars for the Pioneer 5K Fun Run on Saturday, June 15, in Milton-Freewater.

The annual event is sponsored by Saager’s Shoe Shop and starts at 9 a.m. on the corner of Sixth and North Main streets.

Registration is from 7:30-8:30 a.m. with a prize drawing at 8:45 a.m.

The entry fee is $30 with a T-shirt or $20 with no shirt. T-shirt order entry deadline is May 30. To register, go to www.saagershoeshop.com/Pioneer-5K-s/3662.htm

For more information, contact Kelly Smith at info@saagershoeshop.com

All entry fees will be donated to the McLoughlin High School athletic department. As an added bonus, participants have the chance to win a pair of running shoes from Brooks, Hoka and Altra. Runners who register will automatically be entered in the drawing. Winners can stop in at Saager’s Shoe Shop to select their prize.

Vendors sought for Huckleberry Festival

NORTH POWDER — The North Powder Huckleberry Committee is seeking craft and food vendors for the 18th annual event, set for July 27-28.

Festival activities include a parade, entertainment, games, street dance with the band Redemption, bed races and horseshoe tournament. In addition, the North Powder Community Church will host the Community Reunion Breakfast in the front yard of the church at the corner of E and Fourth streets on July 27 at 8 a.m. This is a donation-based breakfast that welcomes community members and visitors along with students and former students.

The Huckleberry Show and Shine Car Show is held adjacent to the festival on E Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and invites cars and vehicles from throughout the Pacific Northwest to participate.

Also, the North Powder Rural Department will have a booth this year instead of offering dinner, as in the past, and there may be an indoor cornhole tournament — all to raise funds for the department’s scholarship.

For more information on becoming a vendor contact Shiloe Weston at vendors.huckleberryfest@gmail.com or attend a meeting on the first Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. at the Wolf Creek Grange in North Powder.

For more information about the Show and Shine Car Show contact Sydney Kmetic at keelankmetic@gmail.com

The committee is also seeking coordinators for children’s events, lawn mower races, the parade and mud volleyball, as well as volunteers to help set up and clean after the festivities.

Children’s fair kicks off in Boardman

BOARDMAN — Food, vendor booths, games, activities and prizes are all a part of the Morrow County Children’s Fair. In its 22nd year, the free event is Thursday, May 23, 4-6 p.m. at the Port of Morrow, 2 Marine Drive — it will be held both indoors and outdoors.

The event is presented by Community Counseling Solutions. For more information, search www.facebook.com/mcchildrensfair. For questions, email sadeproject@gmail.com.

Cultura Fest celebrates community

BOARDMAN — A celebration that highlights cultural diversity and community spirit will feature more than two dozen vendors, raffle prizes, music by DJ El Muneko and a street dance.

Hosted by Cafe Cultura and Casa Gracia, Cultura Fest 2024 is Saturday, May 25, 4-9 p.m. in the parking lot at Sunrise Cafe, 101 Front St. There is no admission fee. Beverages will be available for purchase from a bar provided by Macario’s Mexican Restaurant.

For more information search www.facebook.com/cafecultura18. For questions, email cafe.cultura.18@gmail.com.

Bach Yard Party supports OES youth programs

PENDLETON — The Oregon East Symphony is hosting a fundraiser to support Playing for Keeps, its classical music education program for youths.

The Bach Yard Party is June 15, 6 p.m. at Maggie & Me Farm, 71593 Schroeder Road. Tickets are $50 via bit.ly/44L8YHB, by calling 541-276-0320 or the symphony office, 345 SW Fourth St.

The event features dinner with the main course provided by Mario’s Basque BBQ and side dishes and salads prepared by symphony volunteers. Wine will be available from Cerebella Winery and Pendleton’s Grocery Outlet.

Live entertainment will be presented by a string quartet led by OES Concertmaster Lisa Robertson and the OES Youth Chamber Collective. The fundraiser also features live, Dutch and dessert auctions. Items up for bid include a helicopter ride, local art, dinner parties and a Pendleton Round-Up ticket package.

For more information about the Bach Yard Party, search Facebook via bit.ly/3WHBZSc. To learn more about symphony programs, visit www.oregoneastsymphony.org.

Horse show celebrates 120 years

MILTON-FREEWATER — The Weekend at the Blues horse show is set for Aug. 4 and both participants and spectators are encouraged to mark their calendars for this event, which is the 120th celebration of the Milton Horse Show.

The show will be at the WW Arena, 85207 Telephone Pole Road. Admission is free for spectators. Participants can register online at weekendattheblues.com. The pre-entry deadline is July 28.