Food, music draw residents to fair, rodeo kickoff event

MOSES LAKE — It's officially fair and rodeo season, now that the Cowboy Breakfast has kicked things off.

The Grant County Fair and Roundup Rodeo kickoff event drew crowds to the newly remodeled Sinkiuse Square Friday morning.

Area residents partook in pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice, coffee and, if they got there early enough in the morning, frozen maple syrup. But as the event warmed up, so did the syrup.

People spread out over the Sinkiuse Square walkways listening to live music and enjoying children's activities put on by Dale Roth Productions.

The Cowboy Breakfast began serving about 6:30 a.m., and was scheduled to last through 10 a.m. The event was sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Moses Lake, the Moses Lake Business Association and the Columbia Basin Rodeo Association.

Downtown merchants offered an Early Bird Special for the event.

Many people at the event were there to socialize, first and foremost.

"Just wanted to join with the rest of the local cowboys here in support of the rodeo and the fair, and support the community, and have a nice get-together," Jeff Sparr said.

Ray Shearer was in attendance as a salesman for his local automobile company and wanted to meet people. He comes every year, he said.

"Talking to the people you don't normally see during the year, you just see them down here," he said.

The event keeps the community together to do things for the fair, the rodeo and the businesses downtown, Shearer added.

His daughter, Casey, was present with friend Sarah Kast at his invitation.

"It's good, I like where it's at and the music's good," Casey Shearer said.

It was Kast's first time.

"It brings the community together, the music's good," she said. "I didn't really know what to expect. You get a lot of food …"

"For a good price," Casey Shearer continued. "It's just a good time to come out and have fun."

It was Debbie Dunning's first time at the event, because she believed it would be a good time for her nephews and grandson.

"I wasn't expecting all the liveliness; I didn't know there was going to be live music," Dunning said. "I think it's kind of fun to get to know the people who are out early in the morning."

Leo Gaddis has been to the event before when his band played, but he was just there because he likes it.

"I just come down to see people, visit and enjoy the music," Gaddis said. "It's a lot of fun. Lot of good eating, lot of good visiting."

"It's going well, we have a nice turnout, it's been steady all morning long," Kiwanis club president Patty Laughery said shortly before 8 a.m. "We'll be here next year."