Cars, fireworks and goat tying to grace this year’s Royal City Summerfest
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months AGO
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 18, 2026 3:15 AM
ROYAL CITY — This year’s Summerfest, which takes place July 10-11, will feature a new activity: goat tying, organized by the Royal Ranchers 4-H group.
“It’s pretty cute,” said Summerfest Committee Chair Jill Larsen. “It’s for younger kids. There’s a goat staked in the middle of a pen and toddlers run in and take a ribbon off the goat’s tail and then come back to the line. The (children with) the fastest times get prizes.”
The goat-tying will be among the activities kicking off the festivities at 6 p.m., along with a touch a truck hosted by Royal Slope EMS and the Dean Callahan Memorial Car Show. The show was renamed this year, in honor of a pillar of the Royal City community who passed away in November, Larsen said.
“(He) was a big car enthusiast and philanthropist,” Larsen said. “So, it was kind of a no-brainer to put his name on it in his honor. One of the things he loved best was cars and things that went fast.”
The car show will feature prizes for Best Classic, Best Truck, Best Tuner, Best Muscle, Best Low Rider, Best of Show and Most Unique, according to the Summerfest website, as well as a People’s Choice award judged by attendees.
At 8 p.m. the Summerfest Almost 5K Walk/Fun Run, organized by Royal High School volleyball, will take runners and walkers from Lions Park on a loop around town, up Apple Avenue, over to Wildflower Street between the schools and St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, and back down Ahlers Avenue. The fun run is scheduled in the evening, when the heat is beginning to abate but before it gets too dark to be safe, Larsen told the Columbia Basin Herald in a previous interview.
Friday will finish off with a fireworks display at 10 p.m., according to the schedule.
Saturday will begin bright and early with the community breakfast from 7 to 8:30 a.m. The Grand Parade will be at 10 a.m., featuring the famous Dancing Horses. This year’s grand marshals are Bob and Deb Murphy.
“The Murphys are both RHS alums, were married in 1975 and just celebrated 50 years of marriage,” Summerfest Committee Member Rebekah Hebdon wrote in the committee’s social media. “They raised three children and have five grandsons. After farming for a few years, Bob joined McDougall & Sons in 1984 and recently retired. Deb has served on the Board of Hospital Commissioners since 1998, as well as holding various other positions with women’s services, county coalitions, and helped with Royal Festivals and Junior Miss. Bob served on the school board for many years, was involved in Boy Scouts, and most recently has been instrumental in the Royal City Golf Course. Bob and Deb are lifelong supporters of the Royal Boosters while also quietly taking care of needs across our community.”
The Dancing Horses will stick around after the parade for more performances, according to the schedule, while attendees enjoy the food and craft vendors at Lions Park.
Another new addition to the schedule will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday: “Royal’s Got Talent.” The talent show is open to any performers 18 and younger. Spots are limited, but there was still some available Tuesday, Larsen said.
Saturday will wrap up with musical performances by Los Vega De Ucacuaro and opening act Coronados.
All of the events are free for the public to attend, and unlike many other community festivals, all the vendors are local, Larsen said.
“Our mission is to provide a fun family event, but also a community-promoting event,” she said. “We already have all (the food) we need from people who have businesses here, so all of our money stays local.”
For more information, as well as entry forms for the parade, car show and fun run, visit www.royalcitysummerfest.org.
Fireworks and a car show will be among the featured events at Summerfest, which takes place in Royal City July 10-11.ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
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