3
FESTIVALS
EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS
AROUND EASTERN OREGON
AUG. 17�24
Celebrate the cherry at Cove’s annual festival
All-day celebration is
Saturday, Aug. 20
Go! staff
COVE — The Cove Community Asso-
ciation hosts its 22nd annual Cove Cherry
Fair on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Ascen-
sion School Camp & Conference Center,
1104 Church St. Admission is free and all
are welcome.
Cherry Fair will kick off at 7:30 a.m. with
a fun run/walk that supports the Union/
Cove Cross Country Team and Cove
Community Association.
Entry is $15 for the 5K or $5 for the
one-mile run. Please bring cash or check
to register at the Ascension School, start-
ing at 6:45 a.m.
The Cove Education Foundation off ers
a sourdough pancake breakfast — with
sausage, eggs, coff ee and juice — from
7-11 a.m. at the Founder’s Hall dining
room. Cost is $8 adults, $3 for ages 5-11,
or free for those younger than 5.
A community parade starts at 10 a.m.
down Jasper and Main with Grand Mar-
shal Cindy Edwards.
The action then moves to the Ascen-
sion School lawn for live music, food, art
and craft market, and old-fashioned fun
and games.
The music starts after the parade with
local musicians Elwood, Jamie Nasario
and Hillfolk Noir. For food and beverages,
organizers suggest burgers from Steak-
East will host art activities. All contests
and games are free and will be available
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
VENDORS, QUILT SHOW
Nearly 40 vendors will be on site with
handmade goods, and quilters will show
entries at a show in the Coe-Kerr Com-
munity Center. Raffl e tickets will be sold
for a chance to win a handmade quilt.
Also, the Cove Library will host their
annual book sale and Cove history display
in the Founders Hall building.
HISTORY
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Sadie Kelty gets her face painted by Alex Fuller at a face painting booth during the
Cove Cherry Fair held in Cove on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021.
house at Cove, sandwiches from TJ Tally
Memorial, tacos and tamales from Taste
of Mexico, or a craft beer in the Side A
Beer Garden. Other off erings include
treats from the Cove Methodist Church,
Yeti Shave Ice, Kettle Corn N’ More and
Teahouse Bakery. Food and beer will be
available until 4 p.m.
ing (no hands) at 12:30 p.m. Or try to win
at spitting cherry pits at 1:30 p.m.
GAMES
Lawn games include water balloon
toss, 3-legged and human wheelbarrow
races and relays. The Hog Wild Train,
bouncy house and Fire Department bub-
bles will go all afternoon, and Art Center
Cove residents established Cherry Fair
in 1911 as a way to highlight the town’s
orchards and celebrate the community.
The annual event was abandoned in 1918
with the onset of World War I, and wasn’t
revived until the Cove Community Associ-
ation brought it back in 2000.
Cove Community Association is a
volunteer-run nonprofi t organization
that meets on the fi rst Monday of each
month (6 p.m. at Founder’s Hall). The
annual Cherry Fair helps to fund CCA’s
work. More information about the CCA is
available at coveoregon.org, and Cherry
Fair at covecherryfair.com, or 541-568-
4514 Ext. 1.
PIE, ANYONE?
Those who want to try a competitive
eating contest have a choice: polite pie
eating at 11:30 a.m. or traditional pie-eat-
Gourmet Provisions,
Majestic Pizza,
Wine & Beer Bottle Wonderland,
Dedicated Tap House,
Craft Cocktails,
Espresso Bar, Local & Far-Out Deli
403 S. Main Street Pendleton • 541.276.1350
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