EPHRATA — There are a few new things at the Ephrata Sage-N-Sun Festival this year.

“We’re bringing back our 3-on-3 basketball tournament,” said Brittney MacLeod, director of the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce. “We’re adding a Kid Zone, which will include a dunk tank. There’s a petting zoo and a couple of different things for kids to do.”

The basketball tournament, which will run both Friday and Saturday, has been on hiatus for a number of years, MacLeod said.

“We’re excited to bring it back and add a youth aspect to draw families downtown and keep them downtown for the weekend,” she said.

Sage-N-Sun is one of the oldest institutions in Grant County, having started out as the Sagebrush Olympics 115 years ago. The two-day festival will take over downtown Ephrata in front of the courthouse, MacLeod said, with 10 food vendor booths and about 30 craft vendors.

The festival actually kicks off Thursday, June 12, with the youth parade.

“It’s great,” MacLeod said. “The schools bring all the kids down and they get to walk in the parade. All of our youth sports kids walk through the parade. It’s always fairly busy.”

Live music is a big part of Sage-N-Sun. Friday’s theme is “Take Back the Tracks,” with bands reliving the 1970s-90s. Outta Control takes the stage first, followed by Mad Moxie and headliner Altered ’90s.

Saturday morning starts bright and early with the 35th annual fun run. Registration begins at 6:45 a.m. at Ephrata Middle School, and the runners take off at 7:45.

The Grand Parade starts at 11 a.m. at Ephrata High School and makes its way down C Street to Sixth Avenue Southwest, then turns and heads back up Basin Street, finishing where it started.

“The Grand Parade has been getting bigger and bigger,” MacLeod said. “It usually takes an hour for our parade to run its route.”

This year’s grand marshal is Pam Leseman, owner of Pita Pit in Moses Lake and Ephrata.

“Beyond her entrepreneurial success, Pam has dedicated herself to community service,” the Ephrata Chamber wrote on social media. “She has been deeply involved in volunteer work with the Catholic school and has served as a Make-A-Wish grantor for 11 years, helping fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.”

Leseman grew up in the Royal City area, she said, and moved around a lot before settling with her family in Ephrata in 1990.

“I try to do whatever I can for the community,” Leseman told the Columbia Basin Herald. “When somebody needs help, or to use my building, whatever I could do.”

Saturday’s musical lineup has a more countrified flavor, with a “Rock the Roots” theme. Mariachi Imperio Real starts off the performances, followed by Days of Honey, The Funk, Genevieve and wrapping up with the headliner, Copper Mountain Band.

“We’re trying to connect with our country roots for the headliners on Saturday,” MacLeod said. “We had a really good turnout and really good feedback from our headliners last year.”

“It’s a great festival,” Leseman said. “They go all out with it to make a family fun time.”

    Friends gather in the beer garden for some shade, an adult beverage and a few laughs during last year’s Sage-N-Sun festival.
  

    Retro band Outta Control will be among the performers for “Take Back the Tracks” Friday at Sage-N-Sun in Ephrata.