“Local” is Theme of Farm Parade in Friday Harbor

Saturday, October 1, 2:30 p.m., Friday Harbor

— from Roger Ellison —

The San Juan Island Grange is pleased to announce the 2016 Friday Harbor Fall Farm Parade on Saturday October 1. Now in its sixth year, the parade will once again depart the fairgrounds onto Argyle at 2:30, travel down Argyle, Spring Street, turn left on First Street, and terminate at the Grange Hall.

Anybody with an interest in promoting local farms and food may participate in the parade. Walkers with signs, kids on bikes, chickens in wagons, goats on leash, tractors, farm trucks, hay wagons, rolling greenhouses, scarecrows, horses of course, and any number of other expressions of support have appeared in past parades. People interested in participating are asked to arrive at the fairgrounds between 1:30 and 2:00 on Saturday October 1 to be marshaled into place in the parade.

The theme for this year’s parade is LOCAL, a reference to the bumper stickers that have been appearing on island vehicles lately. You may find images of the LOCAL bumper sticker attached, as well as the poster for this year’s parade.

There will be an after-parade celebration at the Grange Hall. Visitors may admire progress on our new deck, listen to live music, purchase slices of pie, and pet some baby pigs from Sweet Earth Farm. There have been unconfirmed rumors of a scarecrow outbreak as well.
As part of Saturday’s celebration, the San Juan Island Food Co-op will show “Food for Change,” an 82 minute documentary about the food co-op movement at the Grange Hall at 5 p.m.. (foodforchange.coop/about/)

Further information may be had from Roger Ellison, parade “coordinator”, at rogergranger@rockisland.com or 370-5795.