Category: Port Angeles

More Than Frybread

Last month as part of Native American Heritage Month, the local Elwha Klallam Tribe hosted a screening of a film called “More Than Frybread.” We’d not been to the Tribal Center, a beautiful building in Port Angeles, and the movie sounded like fun. It was – fun and very funny. A mockumentary on the first ever state frybread championship in Arizona, it profiled and followed contestants before and through the competition. The characters were all well drawn and well acted and the film was full of wry humor.

We love frybread and have great memories of finding a couple of frybread stands in very remote areas of the Southwest. There is nothing like fresh, hot frybread when you’ve been out camping for days and driving for hours in the high desert. That was some years ago and the thought of seeing it on film filled us with nostalgia. I can’t tell you how thrilled we were when our Elwha hosts announced before the film that a batch of frybread was out and ready to eat. Heaven! A great movie and frybread, too. Life is good.

Festival of Trees

The annual Festival of Trees was held last weekend in Port Angeles. It is the biggest fundraiser for our Olympic Medical Center and monies raised are used to purchase equipment and provide continuing education for staff.

The Festival of Trees is a big event supported by many local businesses. There are a number of events over the three day festival including a Teddy Bear tea for children and parents, a family breakfast, and family day viewings of festival trees. The centerpiece is the Festival of Trees Gala where decorated trees, many with bonus “premiums,” are auctioned at a formal gourmet buffet dinner. Details from some of the trees are shown above, lovely creations that are themed by local designers and sponsored by businesses and community members. This year roughly 50 trees were auctioned for well over $90,000. Premiums accompanying the trees included travel packages, wine, local services, sports and cultural events.

The esplanade, 1 of 2

Port Angeles, Sequim’s western next door neighbor, recently completed a new esplanade at its downtown waterfront. This is the area where the Black Ball Ferry comes and goes from Victoria, B.C. and is a gateway for ferry visitors as well as occasional cruise ship passengers.

This previously was a pretty ordinary sidewalk along a street that edges the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The upgrade definitely kicks it up a notch. Now, if we could only get some blue skies again to brighten it up a bit. . .

The Rodeo, 2 of 2

The Clallam County Rodeo is offered twice during the County Fair. This year we went on Saturday night and the grandstands were packed. There were hometown favorites riding and a few of the cow boys and girls were truly talented youngsters. The bull rider in the bottom right shot was 14 years old and I don’t think the girl on the bottom left could have been much older. And, believe it or not, the bronc rider on the top left walked off the field on his own.