EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS
AROUND EASTERN OREGON
FESTIVALS
9
AUG. 10-17, 2022
Family fun at the Union Grassroots Festival and Car Show
By Trish Yerges
Go! Magazine
UNION — The Union Grassroots Fes-
tival and Car Show is Saturday, Aug. 13,
with a line up of family fun organized in
downtown Union.
Donna Beverage, president of the
Union Chamber of Commerce, is involved
in organizing the annual event.
“It’s free family fun. We just want
people to come out and enjoy the day in
historic Union,” she said.
The day starts at 7 a.m. with more than
30 yard sales city-wide. Find a list of on
Union’s Facebook page or the Chamber
website, or check flyers in town.
The Color Fun Run begins at 8 a.m. at
the Union High School athletic complex
on Dearborn Street. Organizer Kasey
Bliesner said it is a fundraiser for the
Union High School’s Philly group. Entry is
$15. To sign up, call 541-805-0537.
“It’s a 3K family run, walk, scooter
event hosted by the Bobcat Booster
Club,” she said. “It’s a fun color run where
runners (in white t-shirts) run and get col-
ored with powdered chalk that is thrown
at them. By the time the runners are done
running, they will look like they have a tie-
dyed shirt on,” Bliesner laughed.
Carleigh Radke, 13, will sing the Na-
tional Anthem in front of the Post Office
at 9 a.m.
Six blocks of Main Street will be
blocked off and lined with carnival food
vendors from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. At the same
time, the Friends of the Union Library will
have a book and bake sale at the library.
A Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest returns,
organized through Falk’s Mini Mart with
prizes for first, second and third place.
“Last year was our first year with this
event, and it was amazing to see these
families drawing with their kids on the
sidewalk the night before the festival,”
Beverage said.
The open car show runs from
9 a.m.-4 p.m., and is expected to draw
classic car owners from throughout
Northeast Oregon.
Alex Wittwer/The Observer, File
Alex Watson, left, Eli Zakel and Ken Hutchings compete in a pie-eating contest at the 2021 Grassroots Festival in Union.
IF YOU GO
Color Fun Run: 8 a.m., Union High
School, $15
Lions Club duck train: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Chicken Bingo: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., park
Kiddy Carnival: Noon-2 p.m.
Live music: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Pie eating contest: 1:30 p.m.
Alex Wittwer/The Observer, File
Duck races: 2 p.m.
Children beam as they are loaded into
Lawn mower races: 5:30 p.m.
the Union Lions Club’s train at the 2021
Street Dance: 7-10 p.m.
Grassroots Festival in Union.
“The first 60 people who come will
receive a goodie bag, including a dash
plaque,” Beverage said.
At the end of the day, one participant
will win a “Star of the Show” trophy. In ad-
dition, 35 businesses will donate plaques
to other winners.
Car show entrants and the public can
join the poker walk for $2, with a chance
to win $100.
Chicken Bingo will be played at the
park from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and a Kiddy
Carnival runs from noon-2 p.m.
“All of the Union churches worked
together to put on the Kiddy Carnival, and
they give away prizes and stuffed ani-
mals,” Beverage said.
Live music happens from 11 a.m.-
5 p.m. with Old West Gazebo, Toobam-
boo, Terry La Mont, Cory Peterson and
Jeff Minnick.
The afternoon line up includes a
puppet show at the Union Library and
the duck races down Catherine Creek at
2 p.m. (Buy a duck from the Union High
School senior class.)
The lawn mower races follow at
5:30 p.m. in the park and the street dance
starts at 7 p.m.
“We really want this to be a regional
event and car show, so come out and
enjoy the festival,” Beverage said.