A6
COMMUNITY
East Oregonian
Hoot, mon, Caledonian
Games return to Athena
Join the one-day
festivities on July 10
By TAMMY MALGESINI
East Oregonian
ATHENA — Organizers of
the Athena Caledonian Games are
making good on a promise from
last spring after canceling the
2020 event because of the global
pandemic.
“We look forward to a time when
we can gather our friends in a pretty
park for Scottish music and danc-
ing. ‘Haste Ye Back!’ in 2021,”
Caledonian President Sue Friese
said in a press release.
While the event typically encom-
passes a full weekend, this year’s
one-day celebration kicks off Satur-
day, July 10, at 9 a.m. with a parade
on Main Street. It will continue
throughout the day, Friese said,
with touches of traditional Scotland
evident with lots of kilts, piping and
athletic competitions at Athena City
Park, 353 S. Third St. Unlike past
years, no camping will be allowed
on the school grounds.
The celebration began as the
Umatilla County Caledonian Soci-
ety Picnic and Games in 1899.
According to the association’s orig-
inal constitution, its purpose is “…
to preserve and perpetuate Scottish
social manners and customs.” The
family-oriented festival offers activ-
ities for spectators and competitors
from across the Pacific Northwest
and beyond. There is no admission
charge.
Utilizing skills that are based
on Scottish history and farm life,
professional and amateur athletes
will compete in Scottish athletic
competitions. The most recog-
nized event is the caber toss. Featur-
ing an object similar to a telephone
pole, athletes throw it end-over-
end. Other events include throw-
ing objects in the air for height
measurements, including hammers,
hay bales and a stone.
The athlete fee is $30. On-site
registration and check-in begins at
10:45 a.m. An athlete field meeting
is at 11:45 a.m. with the competi-
tions starting at noon. For questions,
email athletic director Alan Werns-
ing at alanwernsing@yahoo.com
Friese said a fun contest getting
underway around 4 p.m. will crown
the person with the bonniest knees.
With many people donning kilts
(or at least shorts because of the hot
weather), the knees of contestants
should be easily viewable. However,
Friese said Margaret Hansell, who
is serving as the judge, will be
blindfolded.
“That should be something to
see,” Friese said.
In addition to the athletic
contests, the festivities also include
music, Highland dancing, a car
show, park activities, vendor booths
and more. Live entertainment
includes Tri-Cities-based Celtic
band Skweez the Weezle; a demon-
stration by the Tri-Cities School
of Highland Dancing, who will
perform the “Highland Fling”; and
numerous clans, who are expected
to come from far and wide. The
festivities close with a candle
lighting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. at
Hesketh Rose Garden.
Elected by the Main Street Asso-
ciation, Caledonian’s chieftains
of the year are Alan and Chrissy
Froese, who were recently honored
as Athena’s 2021 citizens of the
year. The couple has served the
community through volunteering
with youth programs, sports, fami-
lies in need and at the Athena Chris-
tian Church.
Honorary chieftains of the day,
elected by Athena Caledonian
Games Association, are Michelle
Kirby, a graphic artist and Caledo-
nian supporter; and R. Lee Friese,
director/conductor of the Inland
Northwest Musicians, who serves
as an assistant with the games.
Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, will
introduce them during the opening
ceremonies following the parade
at approximately 10:20 a.m. in
the park. The Chieftains will then
declare, “Let the Games begin!”
Sponsored by Umatilla County
Cultural Coalition, a free program
is available that includes the full
schedule. Also, it features a 20th
century Caledonian love story
about a Highland dancer from Port-
land and a wheat farmer from Helix.
They will be available at the festi-
val.
For more information, search
www.facebook.com/athena.cale-
donian.7. A schedule of events
and registration forms are avail-
able at www.athenacaledonian.
org. For questions, contact Friese
at athenacaledoniangames@gmail.
com or 541-566-3880.
Tuesday, July 6, 2021
COMMUNITY BRIEFING
Tap into party in
Pendleton with
Portland band
PENDLETON — A Port-
land-based band is ready to bring
the party to Pendleton.
Sweet N’ Juicy, featuring a
banana named Sweet, a pineap-
ple named N’, and a strawberry
named Juicy, offers funk and fun
when they perform — complete
with fruity costumes. “… if the
Talking Heads were a funk band,”
is how radio personality Daria
Eliuk described Sweet N’ Juicy.
Formed in 2017, the group is
known for its ability to get people
on the dance floor and laughing.
The 21-and-over event is Thurs-
day, July 8, from 7-10 p.m. at 40
Taps, 337 S.W. Emigrant Ave.,
Pendleton. There is no cover
charge.
Sweet N’ Juicy prides itself
on creating songwriter-funk
people-pleasing music. The band
has collaborated with numerous
Grammy Award winners, come-
dians and Pacific Northwest
celebrities while playing host to
a weekly variety show. Individ-
ually, members have played on
Warped Tour, been featured in
High Times Magazine, co-writ-
ten music with Blondie and have
been session musicians on dozens
of albums. But first and foremost,
they come to party and play music
for the masses.
For questions about the event,
call 40 Taps at 541-612-8559. For
more about the group, visit www.
sweetnjuicymusic.com.
Wednesdays in the
Park returns with four
weeks of free music
PENDLETON — Wednesdays
in the Park is returning to Pend-
leton’s Roy Raley Park for four
weeks of free concerts.
Co-organized by the Pendleton
Parks and Recreation Department
and concert booking company
Sounds Like Entertainment, the
concert series will run every
Wednesday in July from 6-8 p.m.
The series will feature The Iden-
tities, a punk fusion rock band, on
Wednesday, July 7, Eilen Jewell,
a singer-songwriter, on July 14,
Grateful, a Grateful Dead trib-
ute band, on July 21, and Hillfolk
Noir, a folk, bluegrass and punk
Rose City Review/Contributed Photo
Portland-based band Sweet N’ Juicy will get the party going Thursday,
July 8, 2021, at 40 Taps in Pendleton.
band that describes its style as
“Junkerdash,” on July 28.
As in years past, each concert
also will include a food vendor
area and a beer and wine garden.
Veterans share
stories through
Red Badge Project
WALLA WALLA — A proj-
ect designed to improve the lives
of veterans by sharing storytell-
ing skills is featured at Gesa Power
House Theatre in Walla Walla.
The Red Badge Project — estab-
lished by former Army Capt. Evan
Bailey and actor and Air Force
veteran Tom Skerritt — can assist
veterans in managing the challenges
of post-traumatic stress disorder,
traumatic brain injuries and other
burdens they carry. Red Badge Proj-
ect: Veterans Tell Their Stories is
Thursday, July 8, at 7 p.m. at Power
House Theatre, 111 N. Sixth Ave.,
Walla Walla. General admission
tickets are $15.
Tickets are available via www.
phtww.org or by calling the box
office at 509-529-6500. A portion
of ticket sales will benefit the Red
Badge Project.
The event will feature veterans
from the Walla Walla group (and
others from across the region), who
will present stories they have crafted
in Red Badge. Audience members
may be the first people outside of
the classroom or tight-knit circles of
friends and families who have heard
these tales. The 90-minute event is
hosted by Red Badge instructor
Warren Etheredge.
Red Badge offers ongoing,
bi-monthly classes for veterans
in the Walla Walla area. For more
information, visit www.thered-
badgeproject.com.
Fort Walla Walla
announces
special programs
WALLA WALLA — A demon-
stration of scientific instruments
from the Lewis and Clark era and
a living history presentation are the
upcoming special programs at Fort
Walla Walla Museum.
Historian Gary Lentz will
illustrate during the event Satur-
day, July 10, how Lewis and Clark
expedition captains measured
distances, collected data on
temperatures and determined their
location using the sun, moon, plan-
ets and stars. It begins at 2 p.m. at
the museum, 755 Myra Road,
Walla Walla.
Then, on Sunday, July 11, Tom
Williams will portray Sam Black,
the master of Fort Nez Perce at the
mouth of the Walla Walla River,
1825-30. The Living History
program begins at 2 p.m.
Both programs are included
with the cost of museum admis-
sion, which is $9 for adults, $8 for
seniors/students, $4 for children
6-12 and free for children under
6. Fort Walla Walla Museum is
open daily (except Tuesdays) from
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more informa-
tion, contact 509-525-7703, info@
fwwm.org or visit www.fwwm.org.