Playing music and picking wool at Pioneer Days

CANYONVILLE — Along Canyon Creek, vendors offered crispy fry bread, tart lemonades, loaded hot dogs and slushies in all shades of the rainbow, paired with live musical renditions including the Eagles’ “Take It Easy,” for the 57th annual Pioneer Days at Pioneer Park on Saturday.

The sun beat down on the venue, but it didn’t stop people from enjoying the food, the music and the numerous vendors to shop at — with a place to cool down under a water misting tent.

“Hurry up slow pokes,” one kid said to his family, running down a set of stairs, holding a fish in a bag.

Attendees were in groups of families and friends — and some were riding solo.

Larry Smith stood alone in a bleached black baseball cap and plaid shirt, lightly bopping to Steve Kelly’s Country Music Round Up as they practiced. He said hello to a plethora of passersby offering a soft greeting or a compliment.

He has been coming to Pioneer Days for the last 19 years. For him, nothing notably drew him into coming, he just said it’s a nice event to enjoy overall.

“I like listening to the music, I like country,” Smith said. He spent an hour perusing the park during his lunch break.

Gwen Brimer of Bell’s Trinkets was sitting in the corner of her tent crocheting a water bottle holder. This was her first time vending at Pioneer Days, she was invited by the event following her attendance to other markets in the area.

The highlight of her day was getting to “meet all of the wonderful people” around her booth. Brimer said she was able to foster genuine connections with the vendors neighboring her.

“I have been having fun. As long as they’ll have me, I’ll be back,” Brimer said.

Mary Brady and Stacy James-Ryan demonstrated how to process wool into thread — honing in on the pioneer time period. James-Ryan pulled wool through a comb to prepare it for Brady’s spinning wheel. Diane Barrows used a handheld drop spindle to make her thread.

Brady said that the South Umpqua Historical Society always brings people out to the event to give a glimpse into history. They try to provide an abundance of demonstrations to the community.

As Brady’s wheel spun she said the event was “probably quieting down” as it neared into the later afternoon, but “the music is getting louder” as nighttime approached.

Kids tried to aim frisbees into small slits cut into wooden boards, while others looked at offerings of freeze dried candies, macrame hangings, crystals, tie dye clothing and more. Some found ease in sorting through books from the Canyonville Community Library book sale — welcomed by a cardboard cutout of Dolly Parton.

For a hot summer day, it was the place to be for many.

Hannah Seibold is a reporter at The News-Review. She can be reached at [email protected] or 541-672-3321.

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