Sights, scents and sounds at Wapato's Harvest Festival

WAPATO, Wash. -- Harvest was in the air -- corn on the cob, barbecued chicken, diced jalapenos, peach pie -- at Wapato's yearly community celebration Monday.

The 70th annual Wapato Harvest Days offered something for just about everyone: warm sunshine, eclectic parade, newly crowned royalty, carnival rides, game booths and plenty of Valley food.

Community members lined Wapato Avenue to watch the morning parade, led by an honor guard from the Yakama Nation, solemnly carrying flags and eagle feathers.

Spectators saw a stream of varied sights: decorated floats from Valley cities; hopeful politicians; vintage Cadillacs and Chevys; trucks advertising payday loans or septic services; drill and dance teams and a high school band; horseback riders, fire trucks, farm equipment and school clubs.

Lowriders followed church groups, PT Cruisers preceded a sand and gravel truck. Both in the parade and along the route, little dogs were big, cradled in laps and on shoulders.

Police sirens provided a loud backdrop, as children dived for candy flung by parade participants.

Particularly colorful were youngsters from Filipino Youth Activities in Seattle, girls dancing in vibrant long skirts, boys pounding rhythm with sticks.

"I like everything," said Caroline Stahi, 72, of Wapato, who comes to watch every year. She was particularly taken with the beaded, buckskin outfit worn by Miss Yakama Nation Carmen Selam.

"Those are difficult to make," Stahi said, noting that she has several ceremonial outfits of her own.

Meli Garza, who said she enjoys volunteering at a number of Wapato community events, served as mistress of ceremonies for the parade, providing color commentary in both English and Spanish.

Wapato was represented by royalty crowned two days earlier; Megan Lopez is the new Miss Wapato, with Liset Vaca serving as first princess and Lizette Melendez as second princess.

Over at Lions Park, toys, balloons, bamboo plants and dream catchers beckoned buyers. One booth had more than 50 live finches for sale, golden, rosy or green.

The longest lines, however, wound around the food offerings. At the Joseph Gonzalez booth, $1 tacos lured a big crowd, while Lions Club members served up barbecued chicken dinners to a hungry throng.

Volunteers Eddie McClendon and Shawn Robinson had their hands full husking fresh corn -- 1,000 ears of it. Grilled corn on the cob has been a fund raiser for the Greater Wapato Veterans Committee for the past five years, explained Tony Hernandez, chairman. The group is using the money for a memorial to war veterans.