Pioneer Fall Festival Coming to Waitsburg Sept. 16

WAITSBURG—The 46th annual Pioneer Fall Festival is coming to Waitsburg Sept. 16. Hosted at the Bruce Mansion Museum Complex located at 314 Main St., this all-day event features an activity for every sensibility.

The festival begins at 11 a.m. with a non-denominational Cowboy Church service officiated by First Presbyterian Church of Waitsburg Pastor Brett Moser. This year’s Pioneer of the Year, Mary Grant Thompkins, whose family farmed a large spread near Prescott, will be honored following the service at noon by Waitsburg Historical Society president Tom Land.

A Prescott history exhibit will run concurrently at the Wilson-Phillips House, featuring more information on the Thompkins family’s contributions to the region.

Judging for the fourth annual Laurette McCaw Invitational Pie-oneer Fall Festival Pie Baking Contest begins at 11:30 a.m. Entrants to the contest are invited to bring two identical pies, one for judging and sale to the general public, and another for the auction to compete for best pie bragging rights.

Walla Walla County Health Dept rules require that all pies must be fruit or vegetable-based with no dairy or eggs in the filling. All elements of the pie must be homemade. Entry forms are available at Waitsburg Grocery and Ten Ton Coffee.

Waitsburg’s Kate Hockersmith has arranged a lineup of local musicians who will take the Main Stage from noon to 4 p.m., beginning with the Bluegrass Kids. Between performances, the American Legion will announce raffle winners. Other artists featured will be Dr. Kyle Terry, Cowboy Poetry with Craig Horlacher, Brian Hunt, Jasper Mountain, and Switchgrass.

An historic fashion show will be held at 2:30 p.m.

Guests are invited to tour the museum complex grounds and see a variety of vendors as well as historical Pioneer Craft presentations. Visitors can learn to churn butter, cook with cast iron, sew a wheat sack and hand-dip candles. Children can enjoy old-fashioned games on the lawn at 1 p.m.

The Pioneer Fall Festival is free to all, but donations are accepted and appreciated.

Historical society members are working to create an endowment fund, from which returns would support the museums.

“The Bruce Mansion Complex is the jewel of the city, built from a beat-up old mansion into what it is now completely by volunteer labor and has been run by volunteers since,” said Land. “It’s a real point of pride.”