While most local festivals were able to return last summer, albeit some in modified versions due to ongoing public health restrictions, a small number, such as Winlock Pickersfest, took a more cautious approach.
Members of the Washington Acoustic Music Association made the decision to forgo both their annual festival as well as their usual monthly slow jams for the last two years.
“It’s kind of like holding your breath for two years,” said WAMA board secretary Jim Bierlein of the wait.
The wait is finally over for fans of the music-centric event, which will return to Winolequa Park in Winlock the weekend of Aug 5-7. It is one of the many community festivals returning this year to Southwest Washington. Vader May Day, which was held on May 7, typically kicks off the jam-packed season, which does not slow down until Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival Sept. 30-Oct. 2.
In addition to Pickersfest, another popular event returning this year is the Mossyrock Blueberry Festival which will be held in addition to a Civil War Reenactment Aug. 6-7 in the East Lewis County community. Last year, the Mossyrock Festivals Association held Freedom Fest during the July 4 weekend instead of Blueberry Festival but vowed to bring the blueberries back this year. They will also continue to hold the Mossyrock Freedom Festival, which is slated for July 2-3.
Started in 2000, Winlock Pickersfest is part music festival, part workshop and part jam session gathering for musicians from across the region. Though many of the attendees are WAMA members, Bierlein was quick to point out that anyone can come camp for the weekend or buy a ticket for a day. He said Saturday is usually the day with the most visitors and the most going on but that each day features a myriad of entertainment both scheduled and unscheduled.
“You’ll see everything from bands playing to people jamming together at their campsite to people by themselves playing under the shade of a tree,” Bierlein said. “There’s something for everybody and if there isn’t, everybody is free to create it.”
Those who are musically inclined are welcome to bring their instruments and most groups are very welcoming of anyone who wants to join in, Bierlein said. The main stage will also offer a lineup of live music representing a variety of acoustical styles. Organizers were able to reschedule every band originally planned to perform at the canceled 2020 and 2021 events into this year’s lineup. Some of the groups that will perform at this year’s Pickersfest include: Pearl Django; Choroloco; String Theory; Sunny South; and The Portland Radio Ponies.
WAMA also recently held its first monthly slow jam in two years and Bierlein, who plays guitar, said they had a hearty turnout, with many folks who were eager to play together again after so long apart. He noted that while regulations such as mask mandates have been lifted, they are cognizant that some people are still being cautious about COVID-19 and they ask visitors to be respectful of differences in tolerance to crowds.
“I noticed some people (at the slow jam) still kept their distance from others,” Bierlein said. “At Pickersfest, since it’s such a large park we should not have any trouble with that at all.”
2022 Southwest Washington Community Festivals
• May 27-30 – Packwood Spring Flea Market
Packwoodfleamarket.com or @packwoodfleamarket on Facebook
• June 18 - Rochester Swede Day
Rochestercitizensgroupswedehall.net or Rochester Citizens Group on Facebook
• June 18 – Winlock Egg Days
Winlockeggdays.com or Winlock Egg Days on Facebook
• June 25 – Ride the Willapa
Ridethewillapa.com or @ridethewillapa on Facebook
• July 2-3 – Mossyrock Freedom Festival
Mossyrockfestivals.org or Mossyrock Blueberry Festival on Facebook
• July 1-3 - Francis Schwingfest
Lpss.info or Lewis-Pacific Swiss Society on Facebook
• July 2 – Oakville Independence Day & Scoot the Route Car Show
Oakvillecityhall.com or Oakville WA Chamber of Commerce on Facebook
• July 4 – Centralia Summerfest
Cityofcentralia.com or @CityofCentraliaWA on Facebook
• July 7-10 – Toledo Cheese Days
Toledolionsclub.org/cheesedays.html or Cheese Days Toledo Washington on Facebook
• July 8-10 – Lavender Celebration Weekend at Cowlitz Falls Lavender Company, Randle
Cowlitzfallslavender.com/events or @Cowlitzfallslavender on Facebook
• July 15-16 – Tenino Music Festival
@RESUTEKCF on Facebook
• July 16 – Napavine Funtime Festival
Napavine Funtime Festival on Facebook
• July 22-24 – Tenino Oregon Trail Days
Teninoacc.org/Oregon-trail-days-otd.html or @oregontraildaystenino on Facebook
• July 30 – ChehalisFest
ChehalisFest on Facebook
• Aug. 5-7 – Winlock Pickersfest
Winlockpickersfest.com, WAMAmusic.com or Washington Acoustic Music Association on Facebook
• Aug. 5-7 - Antique Fest Centralia
Antique Fest on Facebook
• Aug. 6-7 – Mossyrock Blueberry Festival and Civil War Reenactment
Mossyrockfestivals.org or Mossyrock Blueberry Festival on Facebook
• Aug. 11-14 – Morton Loggers Jubilee
Loggersjubilee.com or @mortonloggersjubilee on Facebook
• Aug. 12-14 – Mount St. Helens Bluegrass Festival, Toledo
Washingtonbluegrassassociation.org or WBA- Washington Bluegrass Association on Facebook
• Aug. 16-21 – Southwest Washington Fair
Southwestwashingtonfair.org or @southwestwashingtonfair on Facebook
• Aug. 26-28 - Washington State Garlic Festival
Wagarlicfest.com or @WashingtonStateGarlicFest on Facebook
• Sept. 2-5 – Packwood Fall Flea Market
Packwoodfleamarket.com or @packwoodfleamarket on Facebook
• Sept. 4 – Rust or Shine Car Show & Music Festival at Veterans Memorial Museum
Veteransmuseum.org or Veterans Memorial Museum on Facebook or Instagram
• Sept. 10-11 – Spirit of ‘76 Revolutionary Encampment at Veterans Memorial Museum
Veteransmuseum.org or Veterans Memorial Museum on Facebook or Instagram
• Sept. 17-18 and Sept. 24-25 - ARTrails of Southwest Washington Studio Tour
Artrailsofsww.org or @ARTrailsofSWWashington on Facebook
• Sept. 30-Oct. 2 – Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival
Onalaskaalliance.org/apple-harvest-festival.html or Onalaska Apple Harvest Festival on Facebook