BASIN EVENTS: June 19-27
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 2 weeks AGO
The Wanapum Native American Discovery Unit will be at the Soap Lake Food and Folk Festival this weekend.
FILE PHOTO
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 19, 2026 3:00 AM
COLUMBIA BASIN — School is out, and summer officially arrives this week. Here are some ways to make the most of the season.
June 19
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.
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 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.
Hank Buchmann Book Signing
E. Hank Buchmann, author of more than 20 novels, will be signing a number of his published books. Buchmann is a native of the Columbia Basin, which has been a rich source of inspiration for writing his novels, poetry, murder mysteries and westerns. 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at The Bookery, 1 Basin St. NW, Ephrata. Info: 509-754-5321.
June 25
‘What’s Troubling You, Moses Lake? ‘
Community town hall meeting. “What’s Troubling You, Moses Lake?” isn’t about debating specific political issues. It’s about exploring some of the root causes that make communities feel divided in the first place: trust, communication, belonging, change, and how we relate to one another as neighbors. Hosted by Moses Lake Community Coalition in partnership with Braver Angels and the Columbia Basin Dispute Resolution Center. 6:30 p.m. at Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center, 900 E. Yonezawa Blvd., Moses Lake. Info: mlcommunitycoalition.org.
June 26
2nd Annual Flock Cancer Walk
Follow the flamingo-lined trail along the Gavinski Trail through Neppel Landing and back, cheered on by volunteers and a live DJ. $25 registration fee and a percentage of sales will go to the Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation. Register at https://bit.ly/MLFlockCancer26. Info: 509-707-0192.
This weekend at the movies:
Fairchild Cinemas: Backrooms (R); Disclosure Day (PG-13) Masters of the Universe (PG-13); Obsession (R); Scary Movie 6 (R); Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (PG-13); Toy Story 5 (PG). See www.fairchildcinemas.com for show times.
The Showhouse: Toy Story 5 (PG); Disclosure Day (PG-13); (R). 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.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Home prices up in most Basin markets
MOSES LAKE — Home prices increased in most, but not all, markets of the Columbia Basin this year, according to data from the real estate website Redfin. The median home price in Moses Lake in September was $364,821, according to Redfin’s data, up 5.4% from September 2025. Ephrata’s median price wasn’t far off, at $368,824, but that represented a 12.5% increase over the same time period. Quincy’s median price topped the list of local cities at $405,235, a 10.1% year-over-year increase. Othello, in contrast, dropped by 17.1% year-over-year, to $298,226.
BASIN EVENTS Nov. 6-14
COLUMBIA BASIN — Now that everyone has adjusted from the Daylight Saving Time changeover, it’s time to get out of the house and off to something fun. Here are a few destinations to check out. Nov. 6 Members Exhibition Gallery opening for show of artworks by museum members. Opening reception 4-7 p.m. at Moses Lake Museum & Art Center, 401 S. Balsam St. Info: www.moseslakemuseum.com.
Going rogue
Moses Lake salon celebrates creativity and independence
MOSES LAKE — The new salon on East Broadway is called Rogue Collective for a reason. “We had this dream to do it all together,” said owner Dana Mendoza. “That’s where the ‘collective’ came from. It’s a pretty amazing group of women. Everyone has their own separate gifts and talents.” The “rogue” part of the name comes from the fact that the professionals all came from other salons with the same idea: to do things their own way.