BASIN EVENTS: June 12-20
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months AGO
The Downtown Moses Lake Association Family Picnic Day will be June 20- at Neppel Landing.
FILE PHOTO
Virgil Eagle will bring a Taste of Whisky to Michael’s Market & Bistro Friday.
Yogoman Burning Band is one of many artists who will perform at the Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival June 20.
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | June 12, 2026 3:00 AM
COLUMBIA BASIN — The kids are out of school and the summer awaits. Here are some things happening in the Basin this week.
June 12
Craft Fair
Locally made crafts including woodworking, bling bugs, crocheted items and more. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Lind Community Church, 114 E. Fifth St. Info: 509-750-5672.
Warden Development Council Golf Tournament
Shotgun start at 12 p.m. at Sage Hills Golf Course and Resort, 10400 Sagehill Road SE, Warden. Info: 509-349-2603.
Taste of Whisky
Live music by Virgil Eagle, blending the timeless charm of classic rock, a guitar, a voice of soul, and a passion for creating unforgettable memories. 6 p.m. at Michael’s Market & Bistro, 221 W. Broadway Ave., Moses Lake. Info: www.whiskytrailband.com.
June 12-13
Sage-N-Sun
Celebrate America’s 250th birthday in the Ephrata sunshine. Live music, parade, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, family activities and more. Hosted by Ephrata Chamber of Commerce. Info: www.ephratachamber.org.
Lind Combine Demolition Derby
Watch farm equipment battle it out in the arena. Car and truck races, parades, barbecue and beer garden, as well as the renowned combine demo derby. Lind Lions Club Arena, 2709 E. Second St., Lind. Info: www.lindcombinederby.com.
June 12-14
Rastelli Circus
Thrilling stunts, laughs, and jaw-dropping talent perfect for the whole family, 6:30 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday at Grant County Fairgrounds, 3953 Airway Drive NE, Moses Lake. Info: RastelliCircus.com.
June 13
Little Big Show
Car show with vendors, food and more. 8 a.m. in downtown Wilson Creek. Info: www.thelittlebigshow.com.
‘The Sugar Kingdom’: A Dance Show’
Lollipops, Jolly Ranchers, gummy bears, and more will take the stage to tell the story of beloved magic dance shoes. Presented by Royalty Dance Studio. 3 and 6 p.m. at Quincy High School Performing Arts Center, 403 Jackrabbit St. NE. Info: 253-888-5665 or royaltydancestudio.com.
June 18
Mocktails and Makes: Green Tea Yuzu Sour and Suminagashi.
Enjoy a non-alcoholic drink and discover the ancient Japanese art of paper marbling. $7.50 per person. 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Moses Lake Museum & Art Center, 401 S. Balsam St. Info: 509-764-3830. Tickets and info: https://bit.ly/MLSuminagashi.
June 19
H.E. Gritman Senior Center Rummage Sale
A wide variety of items to choose from. Prices are by donation. Proceeds support the H.E. Gritman Senior Center. 3 p.m. at 118 W. Main Ave., Ritzville. Info: 509-659-1921.
June 19-20
Soap Lake Food & Folk Festival
Live music, local food, workshops, craft vendors, family activities, and community gathering. Hosted by Friends of the Lower Grand Coulee in partnership with Cloudview Farm and Soap Lake Creative District. Free and open to all ages. Soap Lake Creative District Friday, Cloudview Farms Saturday. Info: tinyurl.com/solawafff.
June 20
Family Picnic Day.
Enjoy a day packed with activities and entertainment for all ages. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the Downtown Moses Lake Association. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Neppel Landing, 104 S. Alder St., Moses Lake. Info: downtownmoseslake.org.
Autism Movie Day: ‘Toy Story 5’
Autism-friendly screening of the animated film “Toy Story 5.” Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang's jobs get exponentially harder when they go head-to-head with a new threat to playtime. 11:30 a.m. at Fairchild Cinemas, 233 N Block St, Moses Lake. Info: grantcountyautism.org.
Caddyshack Par-Tee
Come dressed in your best plaid or golf-themed attire and support Soroptimist International of Moses Lake. Dinner, silent auction, live auction and raffle, followed by dancing under the stars. Tickets available at https://bit.ly/SIMLAuction26 Doors open at 5 p.m. at Pillar Rock Grill, 1373 Road F.2 NE, Moses Lake. Info: moseslakesoroptimist.com.
This weekend at the movies:
Fairchild Cinemas: Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act (NR); Backrooms (R); Disclosure Day (PG-13); Masters of the Universe (PG-13); Michael (PG-13); Obsession (R); Passenger (R); Scary Movie 6 (R); Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (PG-13); The Breadwinner (PG). See www.fairchildcinemas.com for show times.
The Showhouse: Scary Movie 6 (R); Disclosure Day (PG-13); Toy Story 5 (PG). See othelloshowhouse.com for show times.
Ritz Theater: The Devil Wears Prada 2 (PG-13) 7 p.m. Friday, and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday. See www.facebook.com/RitzvilleRitz for updates.
Virgil Eagle will bring a Taste of Whisky to Michael’s Market & Bistro Friday.
Yogoman Burning Band is one of many artists who will perform at the Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival June 20.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Endless battle
Noxious Weed Control Board works to keep invasive plants under control
MOSES LAKE — Some of the nastiest plants in Grant County were the topic of a class led by Jay Johnson, a consultant with the Grant County Noxious Weed Control Board, Tuesday. The Noxious Weed Control Board, as its name would suggest, is tasked with keeping weeds under control in Grant County. That’s not a small job; the board’s website lists 129 species of noxious weeds that are found around Grant County. A noxious weed is defined as an invasive, non-native plant that threatens agricultural crops, local ecosystems or fish and wildlife habitat, according to the Noxious Weed Control Board. Washington state law requires that these weeds be identified and their spread kept to a minimum, if not completely eradicated. “We’re one of those agencies a lot of people don’t really understand,” Johnson said. “We’re a county office and … our funding is tax-based assessment. When you get your tax bill and you look down at all the expenses that you pay for, there we are.”
BASIN EVENTS: Oct. 16-24
COLUMBIA BASIN — Whether you feel like shopping, crafting, learning or seeing a show, there’s something happening for you this week in the Basin. Oct. 16 ‘My Family (Mi Familia)’ screening Spanning three generations, “My Family (Mi Familia)” is a heartfelt drama that follows the Sánchez family as they build their lives in East Los Angeles. Through love, hardship, triumph, and sacrifice, the film explores the immigrant experience, the strength of family bonds, and the traditions that connect one generation to the next. Lowrider show and taco truck before the screening. Sponsored by Columbia Basin Allied Arts, EDUBS C/S and the Moses Lake Creative District. $12 per person. Doors open at 6 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. at the Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. Tickets and info: www.cba-arts.org.
Moses Lake author encourages women to look beyond church culture norms
MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake author’s book, “A Christian Woman Striving to Live Her Faith in a Man-Controlled World,” takes aim at the role to which many churches relegate the female half of their congregations. “It’s to encourage women in the faith,” Linda Curran said. “A lot of churches say, ‘Teach Sunday school, do this, do that, but don’t (evangelize.)’" In her book, Curran recounts a time when she moved to a new community and joined a church there. She was surprised to learn that, as a new female member, she had been automatically assigned church cleaning duties. When she questioned it, she wrote, she was met with condescension and her objections were brushed aside. In other churches, she said, women who were capable of teaching were relegated to “women’s ministry.”