The High Country Outlaws will stage robberies of the Sumpter Valley Railroad June 1-2.

SUMPTER — Memorial Day weekend brings crowds to Sumpter every year to search for treasures in the flea market, eat good food and ride the Sumpter Valley Railroad.

And maybe get robbed, but just for pretend.

The flea market runs throughout the weekend, and vendors will be set up along the main street as well as the fairgrounds.

Also, the Sumpter Valley Dredge will be open for visitors, and staff from the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center will be onsite for the weekend.

Train rides

The weekend also opens the season for the Sumpter Valley Railroad, which will run the diesel locomotive for short runs from Sumpter to the river and back.

Trains depart the Sumpter depot at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, May 27 and May 28.

Fares are $17 adults, $15 seniors/military, $10 children (ages 3-17, or $53 for a family pass (two adults and two children). For reservations, visit sumptervalleyrailroad.org. Advance tickets are recommended, but depot manager LeAnne Woolf encourages people to check at the office for available tickets.

The High Country Outlaws will “rob” the first two trains on each day.

The original group of outlaws has staged train robberies at the Sumpter Valley Railroad for several decades. Those horse riders, though, have mostly retired and a new gang is taking the reins.

The Outlaws number about 20, with seven to 10 riders participating in any given weekend activity. This summer they will be “robbing” the Sumpter Valley Railroad and the Eagle Cap Excursion Train, as well as riding — and shooting — in parades around Eastern Oregon.

They shoot blanks with real firearms.

After Memorial Day, the High Country Outlaws can be seen in parades for Hog Wild Days (June 3, Island City) and the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show (June 9, Union). They will rob the Eagle Cap Excursion Trail June 17-18 (Elgin; eaglecaptrainrides.com) and again at the Sumpter Valley Railroad on June 24-25.