Wallace holds annual Huckleberry Festival
Photos courtesy of Cindy Lien/ Racers run down Pine Street during this year’s Huckleberry Fest 5K walk/run in Wallace.
Pie eating contest winner Tyler Wydfel sports some purple war paint after digging in.
All hail the Queen! Christy Boots dawns her crown as this year’s Huckleberry Queen.
WALLACE — Shoshone County has always been known as a Huckleberry lovers heaven.
With hundreds of acres of wilderness, the opportunities for those who covet these sweet little gems are plentiful.
When it comes to the city of Wallace though, they take this passion to a whole new level.
Last weekend, the city of many festivals held the 32nd annual Huckleberry Festival and 5K walk/run.
The event was well attended by folks from all over the area to partake in the many huckleberry themed activities.
Adults and children alike enjoyed the live music, featured magician, games, and over 50 vendors providing attendees with food and merchandise.
The Huck Fest wouldn’t be the Huck Fest though without its main events- the pie eating contest and the 5K walk/run.
81 racers participated in this years walk/run Saturday morning at Fourth and Pine Streets.
Runners even got some help to beat the heat from Shoshone County Fire District No.1 when the fire fighters sprayed them with water.
After the brisk morning workout, it was time to earn back some of those calories that juts got burned with the pie eating contest.
Participants dug in and mowed down to earn what people at Huck Fest think of as a badge of honor- a purple face.
Pie eating contest winners were Dakota Camacho and Tyler Wydfel.
To wrap up the event, Christy Boots, the newly crowned Huckleberry Queen, announced Halei Ungerbuehler as the winner of the $400 raffle.
Cindy Lien, event organizer and president of the Wallace Marketing Group, said that this years festival “was the best and biggest in the six years I’ve been running it!”
On top of everything that made this event special, it also doesn’t hurt that it is supporting a good cause.
Lien and other event organizers will be presenting a $500 check to the Shoshone Pet Rescue (SPR), as they were this year’s featured charity.
All of the money presented to SPR was raised during Huck Fest.
The Wallace Marketing Group has produced this event to the benefit of the community for the last several years.
This year’s 5K top finishers are as follows:
Overall Winner: Tyler Johnson 21.23
Mens Division-
11 and under: 1st - Makya Quincy 35.50, 2nd Tyler Wydfer 44.47
12-19: 1st Arin Flagstad 28.24, 2nd Kaelin Haler 30.38, 3rd Aric Milotz 36.08
20-29: 1st Charles Marks 21.24
30-39: 1st Tyler Johnson 21.23, 2nd John Miller 35.58, 3rd Cody (IDL) 43.00
10-49: 1st Eric Dysland 26.37, 2nd Sergio Guerra 30.32, 3rd Dennis Clark 48.28
50-59: 1st Mark Allen 22.08, Shawn Flagstead 24.28, 3rd Dennis Clark 48.28
60.69: 1st Bill Johnson 24.24, 2nd Jack Thompson 31.50, 3rd LaVerne Hopkins 46.19
70+: 1st Ray Pearson 27.50, 2nd Jack Sutton 30.07, 3rd Gary Haler 34.39
Women Division-
First Female: Karlene Dysland 25.50
11 and under: 1st Chloe Soikowski 52.15
12-19: 1st Olivia Kagel 44.47, 2nd Ebony Angle 52.34, 3rd Ashlyn Forsberg 54.28
20-29: 1st Elisha Stintz 31.19, 2nd Ashlie Crane 33.33
30-39 1st Danielle Maynard 33.34, 2nd Lindsay Clark 48.29, 3rd Brianne Bromley 48.42
40-49 1st Karlene Dysland 25.50, 2nd Brenda Knight 28.28, 3rd Carol Richardson 30.22
50-59 1st Linnea Carlson 27.38, 2nd Suzanne Caswell 31.36, 3rd Susan Yoshino 32.26
60-69: 1st Denise Berg 38.15, 2nd Sue Kraack 40.41, 3rd Linda Amonson 43.41
70+: Ann Parman 48.39