Waitsburg Pioneer Fall Festival is Sunday

WAITSBURG-Community members and visitors can take a step back in time on Sun., Sept. 15 when they join the Waitsburg Historical Society for the City's 47th Annual Pioneer Fall Festival on the Bruce House Museum Complex lawn. The annual event, held on the third Sunday of September, is an opportunity to celebrate the local history that helps make Waitsburg one-of-a kind.

This year's celebration kicks of at 11 a.m. with the Pioneer of the Year Award ceremony. This year's honorees are the descendants of Don Thomas, whose family settled in the valley early in the 20th century.

An outdoor nondenominational church service will follow. At noon, guests will be able to tour the museum campus filled with vendor booths, music and historical displays. Local artisans will demonstrate time-honored skills and crafts such as candle making, wood carving, spinning, quilting, blacksmithing and more.

Throughout the day, visitors can take tours of the 1883 Victorian Bruce House Museum, which was restored by the Waitsburg Historical Society and community volunteers in 1971. The museum features historically accurate rooms filled with original furniture and décor and period antiques, many donated by local families. Local musicians will provide entertainment in the parlor.

Entertainers will take turns on the outdoor stage throughout the afternoon. Performers include BiG fONT, Coyote Gulch, Jasper Mountain, Caleb Shanks, the Bluegrass Kids and more. Musicians are also invited to bring their instruments and join the bluegrass jam in front of the Wilson-Phillips House.

Visitors will want to stop in and check out the Wilson-Phillips House exhibit "Waitsburg Underwater," which documents the flood of 1996. A looping video of the flood footage will play and copies will be available for purchase from the Waitsburg Historical Society. The Carriage House, Old Time School Room and Waits's Mill displays will be open as well.

The Fifth Annual Laurette McCaw Pie-oneer Pie Baking Contest will be judged with the winner announced at 12:15 p.m. Samples will be available for purchase by the bite, slice and even entire pies.

The contest is sponsored by Waitsburg Parks & Recreation/Friends of the Waitsburg Pool with proceeds to be used for lifeguard training, pool equipment, repairs and amenities. It's not too late to enter and contest entry forms are available at the Waitsburg City Hall, Waitsburg Grocery and Ten Ton Coffee.

The Waitsburg Lions club will man the grills, cooking up the Pioneer Fall Festival favorite buffalo burger lunch with proceeds going to support the Waitsburg Historical Society. Other nonprofit groups will be on hand with ice cream, hot dogs, coffee and cookies.

A vintage fashion show, staged from the Bruce House Museum, will grace the front lawn at 2:30 p.m. to close the afternoon's festivities.