
(For Thursday through Thursday, May 21-28)
This holiday weekend, you can play cheaply by playing right here at home. Lucky for you, we’ve got it all planned out.
Your 72-hour Memorial Day stay-cation should probably start Saturday morning at the farmers market (8 a.m. to 1 p.m., 25 N. Worthen, Wenatchee) and end Monday evening with a slam-bam movie (”Terminator Salvation,” varying times, Columbia Cinema). The rest of the time, you can exhaust yourself on a full slate of affordable fun:
√ An Early Salute to Our Fallen Police and Soldiers (Thursday) — OK, OK, so this isn’t exactly on the weekend, but it’ll get you in the mood to honor our war heroes. The Chelan Memorial Parade, starting at 7 p.m., makes a downtown loop along Woodin and Johnson avenues and features local bands, floats, a phalanx of local dignitaries and — woof! — adoptable dogs (who have their own way of saluting) from the Humane Society. Free. Info: 1-800-424-3526.
√ Big Birthday Blast, and We Do Mean Blast (Saturday) — Orondo, famous for its fruit and crispy fried chicken (at The Market Place, junction of Highway 2 and 97), holds a huge community bash to celebrate 125 years of being, well, Orondo. Lots of food vendors, games, live music and historical displays will fill the grounds of the Orondo Elementary School, just north of downtown, from 4 to 9 p.m. Fireworks by the wonderfully-named pyrotechnics expert Marty Schmoker, Leavenworth, will cap the evening. Seems like Orondo should also celebrate having a name that so smoothly trips off the tongue, but we can save that for another year. All free, except for the food. Info: 784-1918.
√ Do They Only Sing in French at Vin du Lac? (Saturday and Sunday) — One of Chelan’s big-deal wineries (please, no drinking straws in the tasting room) tunes-up for summer with the start of their free weekend music series. On Saturday, The Bickles perform; on Sunday, The Martini Brothers. You cheapskates can go and just listen, but I recommend hitting the winery’s Bistro for a cup of french onion soup ($4.50) to go with your sipping samples. Music starts at 5 p.m. on the grounds at 105 Highway 150, Chelan. Info: 1-866-455-9463.
√ Parachute Festival Welcomes Drop-Ins (Friday through Monday) — What better place to fly kites and land ‘chutes than a wide-open turf farm? You can watch or participate at the new Kite & Chute Festival at Twin Firs Turf Inc., southeast of Quincy at 7735 Road L.5 NW. The kites will be fancy, of course, and the ‘chutes powered, so look up and look out! Recumbent bikes will also be demonstrated and on display. Live entertainment, games for the kids and food vendors will also be on-hand. Activities start around 8 a.m. each day, although parachuters could start at sunrise if the wind is right. Admission by donation. Info: 787-3795.
√ OK, This Is the Last Time I Mention the … Woo-Woooo! … Mini-Train (Monday) — I can’t help it. I love this thing. And I think the Wenatchee Miniature Railroad at Riverfront Park is one of the best, cheap, hands-on, turn-off-that-gol’darn-Gameboy, get-out-of-the-house activities for kids in the Wenatchee Valley. True, you just go round and round. But it requires no skills and is devoid of pressure to do well. Everybody wins by doing nothing but smile. On Memorial Day, the train chugs from 1 to 5 p.m. at 155 N. Worthen St. Admission: $3 for adults, $2 for kids. Info: 663-2900 or 888-6245.