Step Back In Time On Sunday

WAITSBURG - This Sun- day's annual Pioneer Fall Festi- val will mix historical elements that tell Waitsburg's story with a new component - Main Street vendors and food.

Jeff Broom, president of the Waitsburg Historical Society, said this year festival organiz- ers decided to tie in the festival, which takes place at the Bruce House Museum, with the rest of Main Street. He hopes the new change will make business owners and festival goers all happy.

"We want to do the festival and have it be historic," Broom said. "We understand people want to have fun and eat food at the same time."

Broom said he is hoping that visitors will come to Waitsburg for the Fall Festival's traditional activities and events, and when their tummies start rumbling, he wants them to patronize lo- cal restaurants and businesses and stay in town a bit longer than is typical.

There will not be a buffalo barbecue by the Lions Club on the museum grounds this year, but there will be finger foods like nachos, popcorn, cookies, coffee and water at the festival, Broom said.

Those who want a more sub- stantial meal can patronize one of the many businesses that will offer food on Main Street this Sunday afternoon, including jimgermanbar, Whoopemup Hollow Café, Anchor Bar, Cop- pei Coffee Co., La Monarca, Waitsburg Grocery and Betty's Diner.

Broom said Bee Still Photography will be open as well as the two shops in the Plaza Theater building - Etceteras and Bubbles & Chocolate. Robbie Johnson, who owns the Plaza building, will be showing a historical movie on the big screen at the Plaza and her will provide history on the building. The Weller Public Library will also have a used book sale.

Town Hall will be open with its Shopping Bag vendors. It will also host a pancake break- fast, Broom said.

Don't know how to navigate Waitsburg? No worries. On the museum grounds there will be maps of which businesses will be open that Sunday as well as where the public restrooms are located, Broom said.

And just because Main Street will be bustling it doesn't mean all of this will get in the way of your favorite activities at the museum.

The festival will kick off at the Bruce House with a community church service at 11 a.m. led by Pastor Bret Moser from Waitsburg's First Presby- terian Church. Following the church service will be the Pioneer of the Year award presen- tation. This year the honoree is Erma Lee Smith. (See Smith's family history on page 6.)

After the award ceremony, music will fill the air on the grounds. Kate Hockersmith, who is organizing the music for the event, said the Blue Moun- tain Barnstormers will play bluegrass music, the Inspired Ramblers will play gospel and Dr. Kyle Terry may grace the stage as well.

Broom said inside the Bruce House historical society member Anita Baker will be playing "a few old tunes" on the piano with some of her friends.

The Bruce House, the car- riage house and the Wilson- Phillips House will be open for tours on Sunday and artifacts will be on display. Broom said there will also be demonstrations of historical daily life in Waitsburg from a blacksmith, Gary Lentz will make candles, Bill Stonecipher and Bill Zuger will sew sacks, wood whittlers will be carving and a lace-making group from Walla Walla will be showing off its skills as well. At 2:30 p.m., Linda Hermann's from Waitsburg's Crossroads Mercantile will host a Victorian fashion show at the Bruce House. Hermanns said she has run the show the last four years and has been involved for 10 years.

The show will feature at least 12 different outfits from the 1870s to 1890s. Hermanns said she loves the opulence of this Victorian era.

"It's where my fascination is drawn," she said.

Diane Barr will be the announcer of the show and the models for the third year. Her- manns and her friends have been busy crafting and design- ing new Victorian dresses for a Kirkman House fundraiser that will be on display in the show. Some ball gowns are reformu- lated and some are built from scratch, she said.

The models will be some local young women as well as some women from Ritzville who take part in the sewing group who have the same pas- sion for the Victorian era.

"We're a small community, but we keep turning out the work," Hermanns said.

For those in town Saturday night before the festival, the Lions Club is having its annual Salmon Barbecue at the Waits- burg Fairgrounds at 6 p.m. The cost is $25 and the event is for those 21 and over.

Fall Festival

Sunday, Sept. 15

Bruce HouseMuseum

Main Street

11 a.m.

CommunityChurch Service

Followed ByPioneer Of TheYear AwardPresentation

And Music FromLocal Bands

2:30 VictorianFashion Show