NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, Oct. 9.
FORKS — Hickory Shirt/Heritage Days ramps up for a weekend of high school football, an arts show and sale, a fish and root beer contest, a community ball and a personal look into the region’s timber history.
The five-day heritage festival that began Wednesday features the theme “Echoes of Axes,” celebrating the history and heritage of timber communities on the West End.
Residents are urged to wear hickory shirts or other clothes made from the blue-, gray- and white-striped cloth that proved tough enough to stand up to the rigors of logging, railroading and other rugged outdoor activities in the early days of the west end.
On Wednesday morning, Jack Merrick, 87, was honored with the Pioneer Logger Award, and stories of the West End’s past were shared at the Old-Timers Round Table.
Local or logging-related films were shown that morning and Thursday afternoon.
Here’s what’s in store this weekend:
Today
The Forks Timber Museum will be open for free from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
The museum, located at 1421 S. Forks Ave., features displays of images and artifacts from early homesteading, farming and logging in the Pacific Northwest.
The Far West Art League Art Show and Sale, which began Thursday, will continue daily through Sunday at the Rainforest Arts Center at 35 N. Forks Ave.
The art show and sale is open from noon to 5 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Spartan fever
Hometown fervor will heat up tonight when the Forks High School Spartans take on the Elma Eagles at Spartan Stadium, 261 Spartan Ave.
Game night under the lights has a pair of themes: “Logger Night” and “Senior Night.”
Forks residents are asked to wear blue and gold today — along with their hickory shirts — to show support for the home team.
Class of 2016 Spartan team members will be honored at their final home game of their high school careers.
Saturday
Forks-area residents can bring their old documents — and some nonperishable food — to the Shred Event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the Forks Forum parking lot, 490 S. Forks Ave.
All food items will be donated to the Forks Food Bank. Shredding services are provided by First Federal.
Root beer will be on tap and fish in the smoker at the 19th annual Fish and Brew from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rainforest Arts Center.
For a $5 donation, visitors can sample locally smoked fish, locally brewed root beer and live music by Loose Gravel.
Smoked fish will be judged by a panel of judges, and votes will be taken for a people’s choice award.
Local root beer brewers will not compete for prizes this year but will offer samples.
Community ball
A community ball for all ages will be held Saturday evening.
The evening begins at 6 p.m. with free dance instruction at the Rainforest Arts Center for any who want lessons before hitting the dance floor.
The Choker Setters Ball begins at 7 p.m., with live music from Forkestra, Therapy Session and Crescent Blue.
Admission is by donation — $6 per adult, $12 per family — though no one will be turned away.
Photographer Bob McIntyre will take photos of ball attendees in front of a green screen with historical 1930s background photographs. Photographs cost $5.
Sunday
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, the Forks Timber Museum will give visitors a chance to try on historic costumes and get a photo of themselves in those costumes.
Photos cost $5 each.
The museum also will present spinning demonstrations during the day.
At 3 p.m., the Little Logger Contest will seek out the best children’s logger costumes at Forks Outfitters, 950 S. Forks Ave.
Prizes will be awarded.
The contest is sponsored by the Forks Lions Club.
For more information, see the Forks Chamber of Commerce website at www.forkswa.com.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
