Huckleberry Fest this weekend

WALLACE — The Huckleberry Festival, a fun weekend event for the whole family, is set to take place in historic downtown Wallace this weekend. The two-day event is chock-full with a 5K race, food and craft vendors, live music, kids events, and more.

Now in its 37th year, the Huckleberry Festival will take place Friday and Saturday, with food and merchandise vendors opening up at 11 a.m.

At the event’s helm is Emma Stayduhar, who explained the fine details of the weekend to the News-Press.

“We have all kinds of vendors this year. Art vendors, everything from ceramics to fine art, to woodworking, jewelry, and more,” she said.

Among the vendors planned to be in attendance will be shops like Kim’s Bath Shop, which offers handmade artisan soaps, bath bombs, and other bath accessories, Rustic Rose Leatherworks for handmade leather items, and Betty Lou Bead Baubles who offers a menagerie of handmade beaded jewelry, suncatchers, bookmarks, zipper pulls and tablecloth weights.

“We also have 12 food vendors this year. Barbecue, ice cream, crepes, hot dogs, coffee, snacks, and more,” Stayduhar said.

During the festival, the Northern Pacific Depot Museum lawn will host the kid’s play area, complete with a large bounce house.

The weekend will also host live bands (many local) on the main stage, between Sixth and Cedar streets, beginning Friday with country musician Tim Snodgrass, then Jason Perry, and ending with the country/rock band Sverwood.

“Saturday’s music lineup will start with local favorite musician Johnny McGee, Rusty&Ginger (The Sara Brown Band) and ending with LoGee, a mix of reggae and blues,” Stayduhar said.

Saturday will begin with the Rotary Huckleberry Pancake Breakfast at Wallace High School from 7-11 a.m. Then those participating in the fun run can check in from 7-8:45 a.m. at the Wallace Elks, with the 5K run starting at 9 a.m.

“We have 260 runners signed up so far, which is the most we have ever had for this event,” Stayduhar said.

Registration and the starting/finish line will be at the Wallace Elks Club and participants will run up and down Placer Creek. The course is fully paved with anyone welcome to join, including kids in strollers, K-9s on leashes, walkers, joggers, and those more hard-core racers. Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place for overall male and female finishers and each sex/age group. The race winners will be announced at noon on the main stage.

A heartwarming contest that raises money for the Shoshone Pet Rescue will also be held this weekend with the choosing of the 2022 Huckleberry Hound at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

“It will be a great weekend in Wallace,” Stayduhar said. “If people want to come and just enjoy the music, we will have a tent provided by Dave Smith that they can sit under, stay cool, and listen to some great music.”

For more information, to sign up for the fun run, or to donate toward your favorite Huckleberry Hound, please visit www.wallacehuckfest.com.