Columbia County, Oregon- Merchants’ Toy N Joy is hosting Christmas in July, an online Virtual Auction July 19th- 25th to support citizens in need during the upcoming 2020 Holiday Season.
Toy N Joy typically fundraises with a gala in December to support CRF&R’s Volunteer Association’s Toy N Joy, Kiwanis Holiday Hope, and the Columbia Pacific Food Bank. Together these organizations give away holiday food baskets and toys to families across the CRFR district which serves Rainier to Warren, Columbia County. This year with a generous donation of local gift cards from businesses across Columbia County by Jeff Kemp, Pacific Stainless, with a challenge to #payitforward the organization decided to host a virtual auction, Christmas In July!
It’s beginning to look a lot like 🎄 Christmas! Saturday 14th has many events:. SHPD Donut Day 2019: New LocationlChristmas Ships Parade & City Of St. Helens – Government Tree Lightening at 5:30 PM. The plaza is decorated & beautiful.
Columbia County, OR – Family, friends, picnic, barbeque, community, and fireworks! How do you like to celebrate the 4th of July? You have many options in Columbia County from Scappoose, St. Helens, Vernonia & Clatskanie or a combination of a few events since our small towns are so close.
It’s a tradition in Scappoose to start the day off with a Pancake Breakfast in Scappoose from 7:30 -11:00 AM. It’s a donation breakfast brought to you by the Scappoose Fire Department, Scappoose Volunteer Firefighters & Highway 30 Cruisers. Families can gather and share a meal to start the day off right. A highlight is meeting your local community responders who are raising money for graduate scholarships.
St Helens is bringing back a local favorite Hit Machine to celebrate the holiday. The 5th Annual Bell Ringing Ceremony takes place at the Courthouse at 2:00 PM to revive an old tradition of celebrating the guardians that have gone before to protect our freedom. Others are encouraged to join at other locations across St. Helens. They will be shooting off the fireworks from Sand Island this year. Follow their website to stay up to date.
Clatskanie has Heritage Days is a not to miss event. It starts the Saturday before on the 29th with an annual Car Show and a 5 K Race to support a nonprofit that supports kids Against Child Abuse. Heritage Days on the 4th of July is complete with all day activities like contests such as mustache & beard competition a talent show, ice cream eating, a rubber ducky contest and fireworks to end the evening. For a full list of events visit their website.
Once again, Vernonia is hosting The Great American Bash complete with an evening parade and fireworks hosted by Vernonia Firefighters. The parade starts at 5:00 PM with a ticketed concert to follow at Hawkins Park. You can find more events on their facebook page.
We wish you a happy and safe 4th of July from all us at BeyondTheBurbs!
Columbia County, OR – Local Bazaars happen almost every weekend in Columbia County starting in November. Many are fundraisers for nonprofits. They provide an opportunity to purchase homemade, custom products or find a direct sales company that has products you are looking for a special someone for the holidays or for yourself. They also provide a sense of fellowship seeing your local business people and meeting new friends. A few of the listed events are both annual and new to Columbia County but not an exclusive list:
Nov 9th & 10th: 46th Annual Arts & Crafts Faire at Christ Episcopal Chruch. 35350 E. Division Road, St. Helens, 9-4 PM. Unique handcrafted items: jewelry, windchimes, quilted, embroidered and sen items, soaps, ornaments, knitted 7 crochet items, cards and paper crafts, pottery, art prints, sculpture and free children’s activity table. Favorite Raffle “Holiday Basket” and more. Get a bowl of soup or chili & don’t forget to browse bake table so many homemade goods!
Fall Harvest Festival, St.Helens Recreation Program, The City of St. Helens and St. Helens School District have partnered to bring a Recreation Program to St. Helens. They are hosting their first Fall Harvest Festival between 9-4 PM with over 40 vendors at 1810 Old Portland Road, St Helens, OR.
Elks Bazaar put on by the Ladies of the Elks at 350 Belton Road, St. Helens, OR. Open to the public between 9-3 PM.
November 24th:Columbia County Shop Small Saturday at Meriwether Place, 1070 Columbia Blvd, St.Helens, OR 9:00 AM – 2 PM. Local businesses and many artists from across Columbia County. Santa will be on site between 10-1 PM. Take your own pictures donations welcome. Entertainment by Columbia River City Singers, Vernonia Dickens Carolers, & the St Helens Public Library Ukulele. Door prizes, Free Hot Chocolate Station & treats while they last. Shop Local Bags given to all attendees while supplies last. Bring your Letters to Santa.
December 1st:
St Helens Christmas Bazaar Over 45 vendors to help you find perfect Christmas gifts! Lunch will be served from 11 -1 PM and includes popular items from last year such as cabbage rolls and potato soup. Santa will also be on site. Be sure to bring your kids and camera!
The St. Helens Moose Lodge Annual Holiday Bazaar December 1, 2018 – 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
December 8th
Holiday Bazaar for Columbia River Fire and Rescue Scholarship Fund, 10-4 PM at Columbia County Fairgrounds Pavillion, 58892 Suaslser Road. Door Prizes on Saturday. Event held December 9th as well.
Lions Holiday Bazaar Sponsored by St Helens High School Commons 10:00- 4:00 PM
Scappoose, OR- As our resources grow in Columbia County so do the local community events. One of the new events that started in August is a Friday night movie series hosted by The Scappoose Public Library. They launched a Moonlight Movies series on Friday nights at Scappoose Heritage Park starting at 7:00 PM. They have had a variety of themes such as history night with an ice cream social, game night, and the last one of Summer is on August 31st t0 get local kids excited about entrepreneurship by hosting aKids In Biz Event.
Kids in Business was started by Nick Hurliman, local owner of Hurliman CPA. A few years ago they hosted Kids In Biz and it caught some interest from entrepreneurial kids. With the introduction of the new movie series, they found an opportunity to implement the program by sponsoring tables for kids and offering a Grand Prize for the kids who are competing. They would like kids of the community to put together their business and show it off, sell some merchandise, and have some fun planning and executing. Judges will look at the following categories for picking the winner of the Grand Prize, a Kindle:
Presentation (Cleanliness, ease of shopping, etc.)
Marketing (Before and during the event, were people invited/told, etc.)
Product (Originality, look, etc.)
Operations (cash management, sales process, etc)
Megan Jarman, Digital Marketing Director, Hurlimin CPA, said the goal of this event is to “ get kids excited about entrepreneurship, to teach them skills that they may not be taught in school, and to teach them that solid businesses help their community.” She reminds us that kids do need to register for the event online. Kids can set up at the event at 6:00 PM for a 7:00 PM start. Do you have a kid that is an entrepreneur? There is still time to sign up and it’s FREE! #community #scappooseor #kidsinbiz #moviesinpark #kidfriendly
Columbia County, OR – Columbia County Fair & Rodeo is an annual tradition here in Columbia County. This year marks the 103rd year for the Columbia County Fair & Rodeo. Attending the fair provides you and your family with many opportunities for fun and a chance to see your neighbors. You will be able to experience the Warren Grange Farm Museum, Master Gardeners Gardens, carnival rides and food, Open Exhibits that include art, canning, baked goods, floral arrangements and more, 4-H Animals demonstrations and the Youth Livestock Auction, local vendors, a plant sale, free family-friendly entertainment, a beer garden for 21 & Older, and so much more. The Columbia County Fair & Rodeo has plenty of events to fascinate everyone in your family.
Wednesday 18th at noon marks the start of the Fair with events thru 5:00 PM on Sunday 22nd. A few of the daily highlights include:
Wednesday 18th invites Seniors/Veterans to attend for FREE. RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) is hosting a luncheon to recognize senior volunteers followed by My Fair Lady Padget at 1:00 Pm. Stay around to enjoy live music by local band The Decades from 5:00 PM-7:00 PM. You can entertain kids by learning about parrot species in a fun-filled, and entertaining pirate-themed show at The Pirates Parrot Show! Jeff Evans makes events fun and unforgettable with his interactive magic. View detailed schedule online.
Thursday 19th is Junior Rodeo/Kids Day this means free fair entrance until 3:00 PM. Hit Machine, a local favorite band, performs from 3:00-6:00 PM. Jeff Evans makes events fun and unforgettable with his interactive magic. Buck Trout drives around in his little truck, his zany antics and comical stories always make a lasting impression that brings smiles and laughter to children of all ages! Plus, a pie eating contest at 2:00 PM stick around to see The Junior Rodeo which starts at 6:00 PM.
Friday & Saturday – Kick off your weekend with the National Professional Rodeo Association (NPRA) Rodeo Friday & Saturday night. Live music includes Brewers Grade delivers a set list that is always fresh, built around the latest Country material as well as covers for classic and outlaw country and country sensation, Showdown.
Saturday & Sunday – Straight Up Racing’s Monster Truck show Saturday & Sunday at this years Columbia County Fair & Rodeo! Go on a ride in a monster truck before the show starts!! Admission is $20 for adult, $15 Senior/Veterans & Kids 7-17, 6 & under are free! Fair is done at 5:00 PM.
Columbia County- The 3rd Saturday in June is a day filled with family fun activities around Columbia County. The Kiwanis Parade in St Helens happens every year at noon on the 3rd Saturday. This year a few other local events such as the Cycle Columbia Challenge starting and ending in Scappoose and Scappoose Party in the Park with live music and extended Scappoose Farmers Market hours also happens the same day. It’s a day full of community fun right in your backyard a little something for everyone.
The Kiwanis Parade is a yearly tradition. This year’s theme is “Honoring Those That Serve.” Spectators can set up a prime spot anywhere along the streets of Columbia Blvd. The standard parade route starts at the corner of Hwy 30 & Emmert Motors and continues down to to the Dockside restaurant. It starts at 12:00 and typically lasts about an hour or longer depending on the number of entrants. This is a FREE parade to enter to showcase your business or community. If you want to participate in the parade or want more details, follow the Facebook Event. Parades are a fun way to meet your neighbors and celebrate small-town life. You can also tune into KOHI 1600 AM or stream from App Tune IN to listen to the parade as our local radio station broadcasts live from the event.
If you are a cyclist, you can join in the 3rd Annual Cycle Century Challenge. This is the only cycling event in Columbia County. It has two different routes a Century Plus and a Metric Century Plus with scenic views of farmland, timberlands, on unpaved historic CZ Trail, and charming small towns. Plus all the Cyclists are invited to the Scappoose Party in the Park after the race. You can sign up in advance or register the day of the event. It starts early at 6:00 AM. Go to www.cyclecolumbiacounty.com for more details or to register.
Why not end the day with a community party? This year Scappoose Party in the Park starts with extended Scappoose Farmers’ Market hours and live music Hit Machine Unplugged will perform a kid-friendly performance from 4-6 PM.
Get to know your community Beyond the Burbs! It’s What’s Happening. #community #columbiacountyor #cycle #parade #family #kiwanis #farmersmarket #livemusic #outdoorrec #thingstodoincc #thingstodocolumbiacounty
St. Helens, OR – The citizens of St Helens have a whole new program for all ages filled with activities and classes galore for Summer 2018 thanks to a new St. Helens Recreation Program. This program is a partnership between the City of St. Helens and the St. Helens School District to fill a need for a centralized program for recreation creating a sense of community. Working in partnership the two organizations had a good start on the inventory of facilities. Project coordinators asked for citizen input on upcoming classes they would like to see and where a need should be filled such as a monthly family movie night. This input created a diverse Summer Recreation Program for St. Helen’s citizens.
Anyone can register for the new program on the website. Over 14 programs from Yoga in the Park, Community Game Night, Co-Ed Volleyball, Painting, Movie Night, Terrarum Making Classes, Walking Groups and so much available throughout the summer months for all ages. You’ll also get information for what’s going on at St. Helens Public Library, Eisenschmidt Pool, Summer Meals, and other community events such as 13 Nights on the River.
Shanna Duggan volunteer with the project also runs a Facebook group called Columbia County Sole Sisters for women to promote health. They provide online support and events to create a culture of a community. Columbia County Sole Sisters is for women only. She also works as the Utility Billing, Court, and Bank Specialist for the City of St. Helens. Working with this project is a perfect fit for Shanna. When you meet her she’ll tell you that she loves to create events to help pull her community together. As soon as she was asked Shanna wanted to help with the project. She shared, “I am passionate about community. It’s something I take pride in, volunteer for, and helps me to find connections for myself and others. I have seen a need for a recreation program since I moved here 16 years ago. When I was asked to help work on this project, it was an immediate yes. To me, a recreation program helps people connect with others, find a purpose, and provides opportunities to explore what is right here in front of us. So many times we leave Columbia County to do things that are already offered locally or could easily be offered here. It’s a win for everyone. I think that in today’s times, with cellphones and other distractions, bringing it back to the basics is such an important thing AND it’s fun. I mean, who doesn’t smile when they are playing freeze tag, painting, or doing a scavenger hunt?”
She said she is excited about the future of the program. ” I would love to see it be offered year-round with inclusive and diverse programs that partner with community members, local businesses, and sports programs. I hope we continue to find ways to offer programs at a lower rate for community members or at a price that’s affordable for low-income populations. I believe a recreation program can be a backbone of a community.”
For the full program, click here. To give more input for the future, please fill out the short online survey. Want a list of events, interested in teaching a class or have questions, please email recreation@ci.st-helens.or.us. or contact Shanna Duggan, City Of St. Helens, Utility Billing, Court and Bank Specialist, 503-397-6272 ext. 160
