Home 
Features GO Magazine COVE SHOWS OFF ITS SWEET SIDE
COVE SHOWS OFF ITS SWEET SIDE
 BRING YOUR APPETITES: Food, games, music, parade, quilt show all are part of the Cove Cherry Fair Saturday. (File photo). - ETHAN SCHOWALTER-HAY Staff Writer COVE - The seventh annual born-again Cove Cherry Fair falls Saturday with the Arts Festival running today and Friday. The original Cherry Fair began in 1912, at a time when Cove exported its orchard fruits throughout the region and farther eastward by train. The Fair celebrated the productive crop and the community's energetic spirit. The Fair's itinerary resembled today's version: poetry readings, concerts, dances, a parade, a baseball game and a concluding dance. A "King Bee" and "Queen Anne" presided over the festivities as part of the Cherry Fair Court. The Fair declined with the United States' entrance into World War I, drawing to an official close in 1917. Decades passed before the defining celebration was resurrected by the Cove Community Association in 2000. This year's event features a characteristic blend of good food, games, music and dancing. A Fun Run and Walk, with awards for division winners, opens the schedule along with a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Cove Education Foundation. The Cherry Fair Parade, led by Grand Marshals Ardith Towle and her family, begins at 10 a.m. Before the opening ceremonies where the Fun Run/Walk winners are honored and the Cherry Fairies Court members coronated the Kupenga Marimba Band will entertain with their self-built instruments. Booths, food vendors and a volleyball court should occupy everyone's energies throughout the day, while musical performances punctuate the afternoon. Okaidja Afreso, originally from Ghana, will lead African dance and drumming at 12:15 p.m.; he's also offering a basic tutorial during the Arts Festival on Thursday and Friday. Afreso is the lead dancer in Oho Addy's Portland-based Homowa group. Other musical performers include the Brazil Family Band, featuring five siblings versed in old-time fiddle, piano and mandolin; and Snooksband, an Eastern Oregon acoustic outfit. At 11:30 a.m., performances from the preceding Arts Festival will be featured, while a free tour of Cove's cherry orchards by Max Lane and his daughter, Renee Sjostorm, should enlighten visitors on one of the town's defining industries. After the Cherry Pie Eating Contest and, naturally, the Cherry Pit Spittin' Contest the stage will host an hour-long open mic performance, registration for which closes at 4:30 p.m. As the sun begins its long slide toward the Blue Mountains in the west, fair-goers can congregate for a Barbecue Cherry Glazed Chicken Dinner before the community softball game at 6:30 p.m. In addition, a number of featured events run throughout Saturday. New this year, a Delectable Cherry Cooking Contest accepting any food or drink with cherry as an ingredient begins at 11 a.m. in Founder's Hall, while at Kimsey Commons the Cove Truck Show will feature pickups of all shape, size and character, with awards to be distributed in a variety of categories. As usual, the Cove History Committee of the Cove Improvement Club will be featuring historical photographs and reminiscences in the Founder's Hall library. Visitors to the fair are invited to add their own regional stories to the collection. Book bags featuring the Cove Public Library logo and images of antique Cove fruit labels will be available for sale. Nostalgia will reign as the Cove School class of 1987 celebrates its 20th reunion at the Barton House, across from Kimsey Commons, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. Meanwhile, the elementary school gym will feature the Quilt Questers, a conglomerate of over 80 quilters from Union and Umatilla counties, with demonstrations and more than 80 quilts displayed on Friday and Saturday. The arts festival, running from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Friday, gives visitors the opportunity to dabble in a variety of crafts and activities. Registration, which is free, takes place on location. A list of offered classes with instructors follows: African Drumming & Dance Okaidja Afreso Blacksmithing Bob Gilmore Faerie Stone Beadwork Phyllis Mueller Ballroom Dancing Maureen O'Brien Layered Glass Working Marlis Rufener Watercolor Painting (class size limited to 12) Ann Yoder Wire Sculpture Brenna Tyler Hemp & Friendship Bracelets Ascension School Staff /> Cove Arts Festival Today and Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration 9:30-11:30 a.m. Hemp & Friendship Bracelets (Deck), Tie Dye (Deck), Watercolor Painting (Paddock Hall), Wire Sculpture (South Lawn), African Drumming (West Lawn), Beading (Founder's Hall), Ballroom Dancing (French Hall), Blacksmithing Drop In (Fire Circle) 11:30 a.m. to noon Lunch break Noon to 2:30 p.m. Hemp & Friendship Bracelets (Deck), Tie Dye (Deck), Watercolor Painting (Paddock Hall), Wire Sculpture (South Lawn), African Drumming (West Lawn), Beading (Founder's Hall), Ballroom Dancing (French Hall), Blacksmithing Drop In (Fire Circle) /> Tonight and Friday events (high school and adults) 6 to 8 p.m. African Drumming & Dance (West Lawn), Faerie Stone Beadwork (Founder's Hall), Layered Glass Working (Founder's Hall), Ballroom Dancing (French Hall) /> COVE CHERRY FAIR Saturday 7 to 8 a.m. Fun Run registration: Cove Ascension School. One-Mile Run: $5 indiv., $10 families. 10K Run: $10 indiv., $20 families. T-shirts for sale 8 a.m. Fun run start time 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sourdough Pancake Breakfast: Founder's Hall. Pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee & juice. $4.50 adult, $2 age 5-11 9 to 9:45 a.m. Parade Assembly: Artesian Blue parking lot. Walkers/bikers start at Methodist Church 10 a.m. Parade: Jasper & Main streets. Grand marshals are Ardith Towle and family. 10:45 a.m. Kupenga Marimba Band 11 a.m. Opening Ceremonies: on stage. Cherry Fairies Court coronation, Fun Run awards 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cherry Fair Events: Arts booths, food vendors, Cove History Display, volleyball 11:30 a.m. Lane's Cherry Orchard: by Renee Sjostorm 11:30 a.m. to noon Arts festival performances. /> Afternoon 12:15 to 1 p.m. African Dance: Okaidja Afreso 1 to 2 p.m. The Brazil Family Band 2 to 3 p.m. Snooksband. 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Children's old-fashioned games: Wheelbarrow, gunny sack, three-legged races 4 to 4:30 p.m. Cherry Pie Eating Contest, Cherry Pit Spittin' Contest, Open Mic Registration 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Open Mic performances Evening 4 to 6:30 p.m. Barbecue Cherry Glazed Chicken Dinner: Founder's Hall. Chicken, salad, roll, beverage, corn-on-the-cob, cherry crisp dessert. $9 age 12-adult, $5 under age 12. Sponsored by the Cove Community Association 6:30 p.m. Community softball game /> Cherry Fair Featured Events Quilt Questers: 17th annual Quilt Show (Friday and Saturday) "Quilts & Beyond: A Festival of Fabric and Fiber" Cove Elementary School gym 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Adults $3, children/senior citizens $2. Information, call 568-4328 /> Spinning Circle Demo Saturday Marlis Rufener and Friends 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bring your own spinning wheel or use ours /> Cove Public Library Book Sale Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Founder's Hall Front Porch /> Cherry Cooking Contest Saturday 11 a.m., Founder's Hall /> Cove Belt Buckles & Key Tags Historical Cherry Fair Note Cards Custom Designed Cove Belt Buckles ($20) and Key Tags ($7.50) Today-Saturday /> Festival and Fair T-Shirts Today-Saturday, $18 /> Cove Truck Show Kimsey Commons All pickups and trucks. Register Saturday No Fee Awards Call Rich at 568-4713. /> Cove Philly Trip Silent auction, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Live auction, 6:30 p.m. Saturday French Hall /> Gilstrap Brothers Winery Wine by the glass, bottle or case. Saturday 2 to 5 p.m. /> Cove 20th Class Reunion The Class of 1987. Join your classmates! Saturday 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Barton House (across from Kimsey Commons) |
