Have a Good Old Time in St. Ignatius this weekend
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
ST. IGNATIUS — Life in the town of St. Ignatius is pretty quiet 51 weekends out of the year, but beginning on Friday folks will flood into town for the year’s largest shindig.
The 32nd annual Good Old Days Celebration is expected to bring between 500 and 1,000 people to town for some good old-fashioned fun.
“It’s just a time for people to gather together, have fun, or just come and visit,” said Janis Heffern, organizer for the St. Ignatius Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event. “It’s a celebration of St. Ignatius.”
The fun kicks off with the Little Mr. and Mrs. Good Old Days Pageant on Friday. After seeing tiny tykes put their cutest smile forward, it will be time to tantalize the taste buds by dropping by the baking contest, and then enjoying the main course of the evening at the Good Old Days Barbecue.
The evening wraps up with a horseshoe tournament, Ferris wheel rides, a performance of classic country and rock music by the Flood Band and a fireworks show.
Don’t stay out too late on Friday, because sunrise Saturday is the kickoff of tons of fun. The Buffalo Run begins at 7 a.m. with 1 mile, 4 mile, and 7 mile runs and a half-marathon.
Hungry visitors can feast on a pancake breakfast served up at the St. Ignatius Senior Citizens Center starting at 7:30 a.m.
Then it’s time for some puppy pride as people bring out their athletic canines for the dog races. Heffern said the races are one of the cutest events to see, though the kid’s mud races that occur immediately afterward are pretty adorable also.
At 2 p.m. the lawn mower races begin, and are followed by a ton of family games that include egg races, water balloon toss, sprints, gunny sack races and more.
At 2:30 p.m. the tug-o-war contest begins. This year will feature more options to fight it out in the summer fun, as a couples and individual section joins the traditional five-team category.
The evening wraps up with bingo, horseshoes, a beer garden, and alternative rock music by “Bad Idea” and “The Flood Band.”
Sunday morning brings the fly-in breakfast where children under age 17 can come and chow down on some scrumptious huckleberry pancakes before taking off on a free airplane ride. Adults can also take part in the fun by paying a fee for a helicopter or plane ride past Mission Falls.
The weekend wraps up with a dessert social and gospel singing in Good Old Days Park at 6 p.m.
Heffern said it is shaping up to be a good old time.
*Note: The baking contest and Good Old Days Barbecue will take place at the Good Old Days grounds, not Old Timers Cafe and Allentown Restaurant as previously reported.
