Harbor provides photographers’ paradise
Story by Gail Greenwood Ayres
Photos by Rick Moyer
Combine a car show, Elvis impersonator, kids’ carnival, ice cream eating contest, barbecue contest and much more, and the result is the aptly named Hoquiam Hullabaloo set for June 26 and 27.
Throw in a beer garden and an Aberdeen-Hoquiam Rogue Wrestling rivalry at Hoquiam’s historic Olympic Stadium, and – voilà – an Americana festival with something for just about everyone.
Denny Bickar, president of the Hoquiam Pushrods car enthusiasts club, is one of the driving forces behind the car show and festival. “This is a great day for the family to come to downtown Hoquiam and just enjoy,” he said.
For years, Hoquiam celebrated Riverfest each summer, but it’s been some 15 to 20 years since the last one, estimated Tanya Bowers, of the Grays Harbor Sports Association. A groundswell of interest in reviving a Hoquiam summer festival got the ball rolling this year, she said, and she hopes it just keeps growing in the years to come.
“Members of Grays Harbor Sports Association and the Hoquiam PTO, who used to participate and volunteer in Riverfest, thought that it would be a great event to bring it back for the youth in our community,” said Bowers, who help put on the event for many years and was consulted to help combine forces to bring it back.
Friday night, hot rods, classic cars, motorcycles and more will start cruising into downtown Hoquiam to prepare for the car show the next day. Then, from 6 to 8 p.m. the Pushrods are treating the public to a free concert of Danny Vernon, an Elvis impersonator, at the Hoquiam Elks Club.
Saturday morning, the Pushrods car show, Hot Rods in Hoquiam, will be all tuned up from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on J, K and 7th streets, in downtown Hoquiam. Some 200 vehicles, including hot rods, classic cars, rat rods, jeeps, motorcycles and tuners, are anticipated.
“We welcome any car that you can drive and get there,” Bickar said. For a $25 registration fee, anyone who has a special car is invited to participate,” he said. “If it’s your car, come show it off!”
In addition, food and other vendors are expected for folks enjoying the car show. Beginning at noon Saturday, a barbecue contest hosted by Rays Place, will be stationed behind the Elks Club.
The Riverfest summer carnival portion of the celebration will be set up at Central Elementary School, 310 Simpson Ave., in Hoquiam from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizers say that more than 20 games and activities will be set up inside and outside. Children are invited to participate in the free games, reading stations and even an ice cream eating contest hosted by Buddy Moos. (The groups are organized for those 12 and under and those 13 years and older.)
Meanwhile, beginning at 3 p.m. activities will be warming up at the at the Olympic Stadium, which will host live music, vendor booths, three beer gardens and even some Pushrods cars to look at in the outfield. Then the Rogue Wrestling matches will keep folks entertained from 6 to 10 p.m.
Event organizers are hoping this year’s Hoquiam Hullabaloo is a success and plan to add the crowd-pleasing rubber duck race to the Hoquiam Hullabaloo 2027’s festival. (Rubber duck presales will begin this winter!)
For more information about this year’s event, or to become a vendor, contact Tasha Parris at the City of Hoquiam, (360) 538-3970. For registration and more information about the car show, visit www.pushrods.org.
Photos by Rick Moyer
Combine a car show, Elvis impersonator, kids’ carnival, ice cream eating contest, barbecue contest and much more, and the result is the aptly named Hoquiam Hullabaloo set for June 26 and 27.
Throw in a beer garden and an Aberdeen-Hoquiam Rogue Wrestling rivalry at Hoquiam’s historic Olympic Stadium, and – voilà – an Americana festival with something for just about everyone.
Denny Bickar, president of the Hoquiam Pushrods car enthusiasts club, is one of the driving forces behind the car show and festival. “This is a great day for the family to come to downtown Hoquiam and just enjoy,” he said.
For years, Hoquiam celebrated Riverfest each summer, but it’s been some 15 to 20 years since the last one, estimated Tanya Bowers, of the Grays Harbor Sports Association. A groundswell of interest in reviving a Hoquiam summer festival got the ball rolling this year, she said, and she hopes it just keeps growing in the years to come.
“Members of Grays Harbor Sports Association and the Hoquiam PTO, who used to participate and volunteer in Riverfest, thought that it would be a great event to bring it back for the youth in our community,” said Bowers, who help put on the event for many years and was consulted to help combine forces to bring it back.
Friday night, hot rods, classic cars, motorcycles and more will start cruising into downtown Hoquiam to prepare for the car show the next day. Then, from 6 to 8 p.m. the Pushrods are treating the public to a free concert of Danny Vernon, an Elvis impersonator, at the Hoquiam Elks Club.
Saturday morning, the Pushrods car show, Hot Rods in Hoquiam, will be all tuned up from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on J, K and 7th streets, in downtown Hoquiam. Some 200 vehicles, including hot rods, classic cars, rat rods, jeeps, motorcycles and tuners, are anticipated.
“We welcome any car that you can drive and get there,” Bickar said. For a $25 registration fee, anyone who has a special car is invited to participate,” he said. “If it’s your car, come show it off!”
In addition, food and other vendors are expected for folks enjoying the car show. Beginning at noon Saturday, a barbecue contest hosted by Rays Place, will be stationed behind the Elks Club.
The Riverfest summer carnival portion of the celebration will be set up at Central Elementary School, 310 Simpson Ave., in Hoquiam from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Organizers say that more than 20 games and activities will be set up inside and outside. Children are invited to participate in the free games, reading stations and even an ice cream eating contest hosted by Buddy Moos. (The groups are organized for those 12 and under and those 13 years and older.)
Meanwhile, beginning at 3 p.m. activities will be warming up at the at the Olympic Stadium, which will host live music, vendor booths, three beer gardens and even some Pushrods cars to look at in the outfield. Then the Rogue Wrestling matches will keep folks entertained from 6 to 10 p.m.
Event organizers are hoping this year’s Hoquiam Hullabaloo is a success and plan to add the crowd-pleasing rubber duck race to the Hoquiam Hullabaloo 2027’s festival. (Rubber duck presales will begin this winter!)
For more information about this year’s event, or to become a vendor, contact Tasha Parris at the City of Hoquiam, (360) 538-3970. For registration and more information about the car show, visit www.pushrods.org.
