AUGUST 2, 2018 // 11
COLIN MURPHEY PHOTO
Megan Postlewait of Astoria, center, wipes away tears as she is crowned the 2017 Astoria
Regatta Queen during the coronation ceremony at the Liberty Theatre.
The four-day annual event begins
with the Past Queen’s Reception at 5:30
p.m. at the Liberty Theatre to honor
2017 Regatta Queen Megan Postlewait,
a recent Astoria High School graduate.
The Regatta wraps up Saturday, Aug.
11, with the Columbia River Symphony
Concert, though Astoria Yacht Club sail-
boat races continue on Sunday, Aug. 12.
Other highlights include the Kiwan-
is Junior Parade; the Regatta Square
at Duane Avenue and 12th Street, the
Grand Land Parade and the Highwater
Boat Parade. A full schedule of events
can be found on the Astoria Regatta
website.
Regatta Square includes a fun
zone for kids, healthy food courtesy
of Columbia Memorial Hospital, fire
department trucks and a health fair with
several disciplines in attendance, such
as orthopedics and general surgery. A
band made up of entirely CMH staff
plays throughout the day. For the first
time, Regatta Square is sponsored
and organized by Columbia Memorial
Hospital.
“(The Square) is going to look a lot
different than it has in the past,” said
Julie Flues, this year’s Regatta presi-
dent.
In January, Flues won the George
Award, the Astoria-Warrenton Area
Chamber of Commerce citizen of the
year award. It is her first time as a
dignitary.
“It’s been really nice to get involved
with something that’s been a part of
our local tradition for so many years,”
she said.
DANNY MILLER PHOTO
Kids leap for candy during the 2016 Astoria Regatta Grand Land Parade in downtown Astoria.
groups from when they are chosen in
February to Regatta week in August.
This year’s court is composed of
princesses Danielle Morinville from
Knappa High School, Tapales from War-
renton High School, Nikkole Sasso from
Astoria High School and Katie Zagata
from Seaside High School, and 2017
Regatta Queen Postlewait.
Penny Cowden, the executive di-
rector of the CMH Foundation and this
year’s mentor for Sasso, arranged meet-
ings for Sasso with local public relations
and communication professionals. It’s
Cowden’s first year as a mentor.
“It’s been one of the best volunteer
experiences I’ve ever had,” Cowden
said. “It’s been really rewarding. I’ve
enjoyed it so much.”
Giving up the crown
SUBMITTED PHOTO
“Astoria Regatta, 1890s” by Leslie Peterson.
Other dignitaries are Heather
Seppa as Regatta Admiral, Nicolle
Landwehr as Admiral’s Aide and Skip
Hauke as Regatta Parade Grand Mar-
shal.
The Regatta Court
The Regatta is also represented by five
local high school girls who make up the
Regatta Court. The court attends local
parades and gives speeches to community
This year’s queen will be chosen at
the long-awaited Regatta Queen’s Coro-
nation and Reception at 7 p.m. Wednes-
day, Aug. 8, at The Liberty Theatre.
Queen Postlewait said she’ll miss the
community of the court and the experi-
ence of the Regatta when she gives up
her crown this year.
Postlewait graduated from Astoria
High School in the spring and plans to
attend Clarkson University in Potsdam,
N.Y., as a computer science major.
“I think it’s going to be really sad,”
Postlewait said. “I’ve wanted to be on
the Regatta Court for so many years.
Now I’m the queen, and it’ll be different
for me to not have that dream because
I’ve wanted it for so long … It’ll be
bittersweet.” CW