It’s always a good idea to check the Loggerodeo™ website and Facebook page closer to the event for any last-minute changes.
ri a e a.m. p.m. Chainsaw Carving Competition, followed by Quick Carve auction
p.m. Decorated House and Business judging
: p.m. : p.m. Quick Carve
p.m. Quick Carve Auction
p.m. Carnival opens
7 p.m. Friday Night Lights Barrel Racing at the Rodeo Grounds at r a l
a.m. p.m. Chainsaw Carving Competition, followed by Quick Carve auction
a.m. Barrel Racing and Mounted Shooting at the Rodeo Grounds
a.m. p.m. Arts & Crafts Fair
p.m. Carnival opens
: p.m. : p.m. Quick Carve
: p.m. Beard Contest at Hammer Heritage Square (register at 3:15 p.m.) p.m. Quick Carve Auction
7 p.m. p.m. Street Dance with the Kevin Helgeson Band at Hammer Heritage Square a l a.m. p.m. Chainsaw Carving Competition, followed by Quick Carve auction
a.m. Mounted Shooters at the Rodeo Grounds
a.m. p.m. Arts & Crafts Fair
p.m. Carnival opens
p.m. Kiddie Parade (line up between 12:30 p.m. – 12:45
p.m. behind Lemley Chapel. Judging at 12:45 p.m.)
: p.m. : p.m. Quick Carve
p.m. Pie Eating Contest at Hammer Heritage Square (sign in at 1:30 p.m.)
p.m. Quick Carve Auction
a l a.m. p.m. Chainsaw Carving Competition, followed by Quick Carve auction
a.m. p.m. Rascals Rodeo for disabled individuals at the Rodeo Grounds
a.m. p.m. Eagles Classic Car Show
a.m. p.m. Arts & Crafts Fair
p.m. Logging Exhibition
p.m. Carnival opens
: p.m. : p.m. Quick Carve
p.m. 7 p.m. Eagles BBQ Cook-Off
p.m. p.m. Eagles mechanical bull
p.m. Quick Carve Auction
p.m. o eo – Woolley Tuff – Tough Enough to Wear Pink at the Rodeo Grounds
7 p.m. p.m. The Chris Eger Band in the Eagles parking lot
es a l
a.m. p.m. Chainsaw Carving Competition
: a.m. a.m. Sedro-Woolley Footrace (check-in begins at 7:30 a.m.)
a.m. p.m. Arts & Crafts Fair
a.m. Grand Parade
a.m. p.m. The Eagles Barbeque in the Parking Lot
p.m. Carnival opens
p.m. - : p.m. Quick Carve
p.m. o eo at the Rodeo Grounds
p.m. Quick Carve Auction followed by Awards Ceremony
p.m. p.m. Fireworks
Loggerodeo™ contact information:
Website: www.loggerodeo.org
E-mail: sedrowoolleyloggerodeo@frontier.com
Phone: 360-770-8452
Event applications can be found on loggerodeo.org under applications. Two ways to turn them in: Mail to P.O. Box 712, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
Drop them off at the Loggerodeo™ office: 727 Murdock St. Unit 3. (Above the museum)
e o cial oggero eo -s irt sale will egi ri g last rom t e ast o e - a co ti e e t ro g l at t e ai saw ar i g ampio s ip. -s irts cost .
The 2023 design for all T-shirts was created by Sedro-Woolley High School 11th grader, Isabelle Smiley, and her mom, Tonia Smiley.
Thank you to our T-shirt sponsors: Skagit Farmers Supply Country Store (carvers and staff), Country Meadow Village, Judd & Black, Foothills Toyota, Freedom Entertainment Fireworks, SedroWoolley Fireman’s Association, Swinomish Casino/Hotel, The Walnut Tree (Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley).
Wehave been a country for 247 years. As we celebrate the birth of our nation, let us thank and remember all of the men, women, and young people who have sacri ced so much for our freedom. Our Fourth of July celebration was started in 1886 before we were even a state. We are proudly the longest running Independence Day celebration in Washington State! In 1948 we had a naming contest and the festival has been known as Loggerodeo™ ever since. is year marks 75 years with the Loggerodeo™ name! Not even Covid-19 restrictions in 2020 could fully stop the festivities (an online parade compilation was put together by the Lions Club).
We are excited to bring a carnival back this year by a new company, Rainier Amusements. Along with the carnival down at Riverfront Park, there will be many food vendors so take your pick of which food you want to try. As the Fourth winds down, we will celebrate with reworks, which will be bigger than in the past. e Arts & Cra s Fair will be up town this year so come visit all the vendors’ wares and while you are there walk through town and look at the various wood carvings (which we had hoped to have cleaned and repaired by the Fourth but will probably happen a er). Visit the businesses as you walk downtown and stop by the museum to view their exhibits about the history of our town.
We start planning in September for the next year. I want to thank all of my board members and their families for all they do to make this event a success. I also want to thank the volunteers that step up to help. Without the board, volunteers, and many sponsors we would not have a Loggerodeo™. Each year gets a little harder with the rising costs of things, but with our sponsors, we are able to pull it o . ank you to the Sedro-Woolley Lion’s Club for all the hard work of organizing and lining up the parade.
is year we are adding one or two new events, along with bringing back the old favorites. So come enjoy the Beard Contest, Street Dance, Chainsaw Carving Championships, Logging Exhibition (yes, it’s back!), and the Kiddie and Grand Parade. e Eagles will be having a car show, mechanical bull, BBQ Cook-O and a band. e Sedro-Woolley Riding Club will be bringing the PRCA rodeo back again.
So come celebrate with us and enjoy all the di erent events. I hope you all enjoy, share memories and make new ones. It’s a time for family fun and picnics, reunions, and lots of other fun things. Please have fun and be safe, because every day is precious and tomorrow is not promised.
Dottie Chandler, Loggerodeo™ President
Iamhonored to have this opportunity to serve as Mayor of Sedro-Woolley, and welcome you to Sedro-Woolley, the Gateway City to the North Cascades. Sedro-Woolley hails the longest running Loggerodeo™ grand parade and celebration in the State of Washington and has always drawn large crowds.
Incorporated in 1898, Sedro-Woolley has held fast to its history, maintaining the hometown charm and annually celebrating the Loggerodeo festivities, which tells our story best. Organized in the early 1900’s, e Grand Parade and Rodeo set the stage for events that o ered something for everyone. e carnival became part of the festivities around 1910, and since that time, a myriad of events has been added, including the 27th Annual Chainsaw Carving Championships, Kiddie Parade, Live Music and Street Dance, Car Show, historic Beard Contest, and Famous Foot Race. All have become an established part of our celebration, and something we all look forward to each year. Of course, it wouldn’t be complete without the amazing display of reworks that climax Loggerodeo™ and the 4th of July celebration; it is an exciting and impressive display at Riverfront Park, and something you do not want to miss.
Loggerodeo™ may be Sedro-Woolley’s largest celebration but we host several festivals throughout the year. From Woodfest to Blast from the Past, Founders’ Day to the Lighted Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting, they all bring people together and create an atmosphere of community. When you come be sure to visit our excellent parks and enjoy watching sports teams play in one of our many play elds here in Sedro-Woolley.
Sedro-Woolley is in an idyllic location at the base of the North Cascades, with a myriad of trails. Boasting a healthy and friendly environment and an Americana feel, we continue to experience new growth and development in our city. at said, I extend an invitation and hope you’ll take the opportunity to visit us and participate in one or more of the Loggerodeo™ activities o ered over the 4th of July. I know you’ll have a wonderful time, make memories, and plan your return for next year. Happy 4th July! I look forward to seeing you soon.
Julia Johnson, Mayor of Sedro-Woolley.Welcome to the world-famous Loggerodeo™, SedroWoolley’s o cial Fourth of July celebration. Independence Day festivities in then separate towns Sedro and Woolley began in 1886, making this the oldest Independence Day festivities in the state. e festivities continued through both world wars and e Great Depression, though the size of the event and the speci c activities varied. When the towns merged in 1948, the new festival was named Loggerodeo™ and this year marks the 75th annual event under that name!
e Loggerodeo™ has a tradition of bringing community memberspast and present - together. Many old timers who have moved away make trips back to town to visit with friends and family and share in the annual celebration. Over the years, the festivities have varied in length; 2023 will run June 30 through July 4. is is good, oldfashioned family fun, and a great way to celebrate our nation’s independence and Sedro-Woolley’s logging history and small-town community feel.
e name Loggerodeo™ dates back to 1948 when John Conrad won a city-wide naming contest, sponsored by the returning World War II vets of the American Legion. He won a $25 cash prize. e year 1948 was special for the Loggerodeo™ as it combined two celebrations that had o en been run separately during the week of July 4: logging contests and a rodeo. Many old timers still say that the 1948 event was the wildest Loggerodeo™ ever. A reworks display was added along with the Street Dance in front of the Legion Hall on Murdock Street. e Ziegler Brothers Carnival had been introduced in 1946 and continued into 1948 and beyond. e year 1948 also marked the 50th anniversary of the merger of Sedro and Woolley towns, which had each
previously had their own Independence Day celebrations. e original Sedro-Woolley rodeo was held in 1914 and consisted of riding, racing, and roping exhibitions; it attracted ten thousand people from all parts of the Paci c Northwest. e rodeo continued on an irregular schedule until 1934 when community members decided to restore it at the grounds on Polte Road. e Rodeo expanded into a two-day event in 1946 and included calf and trick roping; bronco, steer and bareback riding; and bulldogging. In that year, $1,500 in cash prizes was awarded, including $150 to the best all-around cowboy.
In 1948, the competitive logging events were expanded. Rules were codi ed for the Log Drive; originally nearly 12 feet long, the log was eventually standardized at eight feet with a 14-inch diameter. A crew would drop the log into the Skagit River from the Marblemount Bridge at 5 a.m. e log was then followed downriver by a motor boat to ensure that it wasn’t stolen. Rodeo queen candidates sold ra e tickets to local gamblers who were trying to guess how long the log would take to oat down to its destination at the Clear Lake Bridge. Depending on the depth of the river and obstructions in a given year, the trip varied 10 to 19 hours. For many years, a local radio station would announce updates on the log’s progress called in by Don Collen who participated in the event in one way or another for decades starting in the early 1960s. He was the Logging Show MC and a Log Show chairperson in the 1980s. e log drive ended in the 1990s but the Sedro-Woolley Lions Club is working hard to bring it back this year!
Historical details were found in the Skagit River Journal and the Sedro-Woolley Museum.
Loggerodeo™ contact information:
Website: www.loggerodeo.org
E-mail: sedrowoolleyloggerodeo@ frontier.com
Phone: 360-770-8452
Event applications can be found on loggerodeo.org under applications. Two ways to turn them in: Mail to P.O. Box 712, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
Drop them off at the Loggerodeo™ office: 727 Murdock St. Unit 3. (Above the museum)
e o cial Loggerodeo™ T-shirt sale will begin during Blast from the Past on June 2-4 and continue June 30 through July 4 at the Chainsaw Carving Championship. T-shirts cost $15.
e 2023 design for all T-shirts was created by Sedro-Woolley High School 11th grader, Isabelle Smiley, and her mom, Tonia Smiley. ank you to our T-shirt sponsors: Skagit Farmers Supply Country Store (carvers and sta ), Country Meadow Village, Judd & Black, Foothills Toyota, Freedom Entertainment Fireworks, Sedro-Woolley Fireman’s Association, Swinomish Casino/Hotel, and e Walnut Tree (Soroptomist International of Sedro-Woolley).
e carnival is back with fun for the whole family! You can expect exciting amusement rides, rewarding and fun games, and delicious fair food concessions. Pre-sale wristbands are $30 for two games and unlimited rides on whatever day you choose to go. Tickets purchased at the carnival will cost $40. Please check the Loggerodeo™ website
or facebook page for presale ticket times and locations.
Rainier Amusements has 60+ years of midway experience with an outstanding reputation. It is a family owned and operated company o ering traveling amusement park entertainment at 30 events every year in the Paci c Northwest. e hands-on owner-operator management is their #1 asset and includes Mitchell Hoss as owner/president, Crystal Hoss as owner, and Chriss Hoss as concession owner/operator.
e team works daily to provide the safest and most memorable experience for fairgoers. e management team believes in providing the best in customer service and satisfaction to create customers for life. All employees are fully trained in all aspects of their roles and responsibilities and customer service. e organization’s goal every day is to create total teamwork with the most knowledgeable sta in the industry.
Rainier Amusements works closely
with fair and event management, state inspectors and local authorities to ensure a safe and secure midway at all times.
Visit https://rainieramusements. com/ for more information.
A favorite event until it ended in the 1990s, the Sedro-Woolley Lions Club is working hard to bring the Log Drive back in 2023! Once non-pro t status is secured, the event will move forward. A crew will drop the log into the Skagit River from the Marblemount Bridge at 5 a.m. on July 3 where it will oat to Sedro-Woolley. Based on past history, the trip is expected to take between 10-19 hours, depending on the depth of the river and any obstructions. Locals can buy tickets to guess how long the run will take this year. e closest guess takes half the pot and the other half will be donated to childhood cancer. e winner will be announced on July 4th.
Tickets will be $10 and will be sold through Sedro-Woolley Lions Club members. Please visit the Lions Club website (sedrowoolleylions.com) for a phone number to call for event con rmation and tickets.
e parade is a very special part of the Loggerodeo™ weekend that we are so excited to bring back. e 2023 Grand Marshal is: Lin Tucker, former Sedro-Woolley Chief of Police.
Entries vary from year to year but in the past, there have been 130-140 in the two-hour long parade. Participants may use log trucks, decorated oats of all
sizes, antique cars and trucks, or even old John Deere tractors, horses, or the funny pooper scoopers. ere are o en a few drill teams, race cars, and of course the Nile Shriners of Seattle. ere are always marching units, a band or two, and re trucks along with many local businesses, organizations, and church groups. For safety reasons, candy and
other items can be handed out but may not be thrown to the crowd.
e parade is organized by the Sedro-Woolley Lions Club that is celebrating 86 years of service to their community this year. e Sedro-Woolley Lions Club has been presenting the Grand Parade since before 1950. e Loggerodeo™ had become accustomed to asking
the club to take on the task every year and then about 1950 the club o cially took it over as their community project.
ere has been a Lions Club member on the Loggerodeo™ board since 1950. Long time Lions Club member Rose Torset is the lead parade organizer.
e parade is one of the biggest events in Sedro-Woolley and organizing such a large event takes a lot of e ort from volunteers. Of the Lions Club’s 20 members, 15 are actively involved in putting on the parade along with family members and other volunteers from the community. e work includes collecting parade applications, selecting judges and the grand marshal, and staging entries for the parade lineup. Anyone who is interested in becoming a Lions member can talk to any of the members at the parade or pick up an application at parade central.
e Loggerodeo™ Lions Club Grand Parade committee is pleased to announce Lin Tucker, former Sedro-Woolley police chief, as the 2023 grand marshal. Lin worked for the Sedro-Woolley police department for 30 years, culminating in eight years as police chief between May, 2014 and his retirement in August, 2022.
Originally from Missouri, Lin and his wife have lived in the Paci c Northwest for almost 36 years. e couple moved to Oak Harbor when Lin was in the Navy as a young man in the 80s. Right out of the Navy, they moved to Sedro-Woolley as Lin pursued his career with the Sedro-Woolley Police Department. Today, they have two grown daughters and two grandchildren. His wife continues to work full time for Bank of the Paci c in Burlington and their youngest daughter is nance director for the City of Sedro-Woolley. ese days, Lin describes himself as a house husband, artist, and
grandfather. He takes care of the house and cooking, spends time with his young grandchildren, and creates art through welding and drawing.
“I love living in Sedro-Woolley. A er I retired, we decided to stay instead of moving back to Missouri with all our extended family. We live just on the outskirts but come into Sedro-Woolley just about every day and enjoy seeing old friends.”
Lin was on the board of Skagit Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services for 10 years before his retirement from the police department. Today, he continues his record of community service as a Rotarian for the last 13 years. He makes projects for the Rotary’s annual auction and has volunteered to be on the board. (He nds out which board position he has been assigned in July.)
“For me, the Loggerodeo is a tying of the community together just like the Sedro-Woolley Police Department aims to be. I instilled in my team that we are
part of something else; we are not an occupying force – we are part of the community that makes the community a better place. We wanted to help create an environment that makes people say they want to move here and open a business here and to make it a nice city that people want to visit.”
Lin has been involved with the Loggerodeo’s Grand Parade in one way or another for decades, saying about his role as 2023 grand marshal, “Well it’s kind of funny, I haven’t watched the parade since the 90s because I was either working crowd control or leading the parade for the last 10-12 years. Participating in the parades has been pretty cool. e police have always had a lot of support in Sedro-Woolley and it’s been great to be part of the parade and wave to the community. I have also known Dottie for years and it’s an honor to be
selected as grand marshal. I will bring both my grandkids with me to ride along in the parade if I can swing it.”
Sedro-Woolley’s patriotic reworks show is held at Riverfront Park at dusk on July 4, sponsored by the Loggerodeo™ and WECU. e park has a great “open view” of the night sky and there is ample free parking and room to enjoy the spectacular show. Fireworks are provided by Freedom Entertainment Fireworks of Sedro-Woolley, Washington.
Come early to picnic, stroll along the beautiful Skagit River, or tailgate in the parking lot across from the park.
e Arts & Cra s Fair is moving to the parking lot at the corner of Warner and Metcalf Streets. It will be open July 1 through July 4. Check the Schedule of Events for daily times. Download your application form on www.loggerodeo.org and mail to P.O. Box 712, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 or drop it o at the Loggerodeo™ o ce above the museum by Friday, June 23. Contact the Loggerodeo™ at 360-770-8452 for more information.
e Logging Exhibition is back! e show will take place on Monday, July 3 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tentatively, it will be held in the lot at Janicki Fields where the high school Loggerodeo™ is held. Any and all are encouraged to participate alongside current and former local state champions. A variety of both vintage and modern tools will be used for the events, including choker setting, axe throwing, and single buck and double buck crosscut saw. Participants will work
in teams of two as Jack and Jack, Jack and Jill, or Jill and Jill. Stay tuned - we are hoping to exhibit speed climbing as well!
A handful of professional and amateur loggers - including current and former Sedro-Woolley High School studentswill participate in this fast-paced, adrenaline pumping show. e Sedro-Woolley High School Logging Rodeo team has earned the axe throwing state championship title 24 years in a row so you know this will be a great show!
e event is being organized by Jake Stilts, who was born in Stockbridge, Georgia, moved to Corpus Christi, Texas and then to Washington; nally settling in Sedro-Woolley around 1992, when he was about 4 years old. He grew up attending the annual 4th of July festivities, as well as the Deming log show. Jake
competed for the Sedro-Woolley High School FFA Loggerodeo™ team and won three consecutive state championships for axe throwing, single buck crosscut, Jack & Jack and Jack and Jill crosscut as well as choker setting, obstacle choker setting, and the wrapper toss events. He is excited to bring this event back to the Loggerodeo™!
Join us for the 27th annual Chainsaw Carving Championship; the premier carving event of the Paci c Northwest in the “chainsaw carving capital of Washington!” First organized by Rocky McArthur in 1996, the Chainsaw Carving Championship has always been a very special Loggerodeo™ event. Under the steady leadership of long-time pro
carver, George Kenny, crowds come out year a er year to enjoy the competition. Said Kenny, “ e carvers are excited to go head-to-head with the competition and visit with long-time friends that they have made at carving events. I am excited about all the new talent working their way up the ranks, bringing with them the visions only dreamed about before…they are the future of wood sculpture.”
is year will feature a ve-day event with ve quick carves and auctions, as the calendar allows for the carvers to use the space an extra day. Carvers work with six-to-eight-foot logs to carve beautiful sculptures with themes such as Northwest wildlife and logging. Traditionally, logs have been cedar but this year, most of the logs will be redwood, brought in by P’n’D Logging and Tree Service out of Black Diamond. Cedar is
very similar to redwood in characteristics but comes with a deep red heartwood color.
With 16 pro carvers competing, this
is one of the largest elds in a few years. Look out for your favorites and some fresh, new faces. See the “Meet the Carvers” article at the end of the program
to get to know them. As chainsaw art has moved into the mainstream, many of our participating carvers have been involved in movie and television shows and other events. Congratulations to Bob King for carving at the Seattle Kraken hockey games and doing live demos that are auctioned o for charity!
e competition has always been held on the corner of Murdock and State streets but it has grown and changed over the years, which is part of what keeps the event exciting! e main event is the log competition, which will run June 30-July 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 4. With over 40 hours to work on their master sculptures, there will be plenty of anticipation around the nished products and the judges’ picks on July 4. e Quick Carves will be held June 30-July 3 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. with auctions at 5 p.m. On July 4, the Quick Carve will be from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. with the Quick Carve auction at 3 p.m., followed immediately by the awards ceremony. Help crown a “People’s Choice” winner between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on July 4 and join in the celebration for this year’s winners.
Awards are granted to the top seven Best Overall Quick Carves and the top ve main event carvings plus People’s Choice and Carver’s Choice. ank you to Peoples Bank for sponsoring the 1st place main event carving and People’s Choice and to Wood’s Logging for sponsoring Carver’s Choice. Judges look for the following ve criteria in choosing the best competitors: artistic impact, e ectiveness of design, use of material, di culty, and cra smanship. A portion of the event’s proceeds goes to support the Loggerodeo™ that provides the logs for the competition; please bid on the wonderful carvings to show your support for the Loggerodeo™ and keep
the carving competition going into the future.
George Kenny of Allyn, Washington returns as the event’s carver coordinator and auctioneer. As a carver and former competitor himself, he has been closely involved with the carving industry for over 20 years, helping to coordinate carving shows around the country. He also knows the carvers personally, is familiar with their past and recent accomplishments and has even competed against some of them. George travels across the U.S. doing custom works and shows. In 2004, he opened a rst of its kind training facility called the George Kenny School of Chainsaw Carving that has been instrumental in teaching the next generation of carvers. Students come from all over the country to take his acclaimed three-day course and many of these students go on to become
champions themselves. Kenny currently organizes and auctions for e Northern California Championships, and the Monterey County Fair in California.
George has been featured in TV spots with Alaska Airlines, Pemco, AmericanExpress and on the show Treehouse Masters on the Discovery Channel. Look out for George’s exhibition carving and quick carves this year.
ank you to all the local sponsors who provided cash prizes, supplies, and volunteer time. Shout out to Farmers
Equipment Company for supplying the forkli s and to Fastenal for supplying the water for the volunteers, carvers, and sta . Contact George at gknwman@ yahoo.com for more information.
In a long-standing tradition, about a dozen houses and a handful of businesses participate in the contest each year, decorating their home or business in Red, White, and Blue for the Fourth of July. A panel of local judges will rank the homes and businesses for best use of patriotic colors. Judging will take place on June 30 at 1 p.m.
Download your application form on www.loggerodeo.org and mail to P.O. Box 712, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 or drop o at the Loggerodeo™ o ce above
the museum by Friday, June 23. Call the Loggerodeo™ at 360-770-8452 for more information.
Do you love pie? Sign up to participate in our new Pie Eating Contest! Contestants will be given apple pies to eat. ere will be three categories of participants: kids 9-13, youth 10-18 and adults19 and up. Each category will have minimum of 3 to maximum of 10 contestants. 1st come, rst serve.
e event will take place at Hammer Heritage Square at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 2. Participants should come at 1:30 to sign in but must pre-register through the online application form on the Loggerodeo website by Sunday, June 25. (Pre-registration is required so we know how many pies to make.)
e annual beard contest is one of the oldest Fourth of July events in Sedro-Woolley and the longest running beard competition in the State of Washington; it’s been running since the 1930s (apart from a one-year break for Covid)!
Tonia Smiley is organizing the event this year and judges will be brought in. is year’s contest will be held on Saturday, July 1 at 3:30 p.m. Contestants should meet at Hammer Heritage Square
between 3:10 p.m. and 3:25 p.m. to get their name on the list. Come to see a great selection of beards including red, white, and blue dyed beards, thick, long, short and scraggly beards. Prizes will be awarded to the following categories: Best Trimmed, Most Creative, and Longest.
Starting in June, 2013, then Sedro-Woolley Police Chief, Doug Wood, allowed his police o cers to grow a beard for the Beard Contest. e next police chief, Lin Tucker, allowed it again in 2014 and decided to continue it inde nitely. e contest has grown and shrunk over the last several years – ranging between 14 and 28 contestants since
2017. We are hoping for a big turnout this year! Contact the Loggerodeo™ at 360-770-8452 for more information.
e Sedro-Woolley Riding Club board of directors is excited to announce an exciting rodeo weekend with three days of free admission events followed by two days of rodeo performances. All events will include food and merchant vendors as well as a beer garden. Event organizers are very excited to be joining forces again with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), and stock contractor Aces Wild Pro Rodeo to o er a very high-caliber show.
Each year there are surprise special events in addition to classic, featured events. Featured events include grand entry, stick pony races, steer wrestling, barrel racing, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, team roping, bareback riding, ranch saddle bronc riding, bull riding and more. ere will also be a rodeo clown for the kids.
Free admission events:
Friday, June 30 - 7 p.m., Friday NightLights Barrel Racing presented by Skagit Aggregates
Saturday, July 1 –10 a.m., Barrel Racing presented by Loggers and Contractors Supply followed by Mounted Shooting Sunday, July 2 - 10 a.m., Mounted Shooting presented by Janicki Industries
Ticketed/registered events:
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General admission tickets are $20 (ages 11-64), Seniors (65 and older) & Active Military $15.00, Youth (ages 5-10) $13.00; 4 and under free on lap. On-site parking is $5.
Monday, July 3–
10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Rascals Rodeo presented by Susan Krienen, Ron Anderson, and Jerry Smith Kia. This is a rodeo for disabled individuals to experience what it is like to be a cowboy or cowgirl.This event is free to come watch. Participants must be registered in advance.
6 p.m.,PRCA Rodeo presented by Les Schwab – Woolley Tuff – Tough Enough to Wear Pink
July 4 –2 p.m., PRCA Rodeo presented by Les Schwab
e rst Sedro-Woolley rodeo show as part of the Fourth of July celebration in Sedro-Woolley occurred in 1914 and consisted of racing, riding and roping exhibitions; it attracted thousands of spectators from all over the Northwest. Tickets cost less than 50 cents and broncs were saddled in the arena rather than the bucking chutes. e original rodeo continued o and on at the Polte Road location until 1934 when local promoters expanded the celebration into an annual tradition. Today’s rodeo continues the tradition of showing the duties of a working cowboy/cowgirl and his/her duties on the range. For many competitors, rodeo is more than a hobby; it is a career and a way of life.
Visit www.sedrowoolleyrodeo.com for more information and to purchase tickets.
e Sedro-Woolley Rodeo is proud to present Maddy Durkin as their 2023 Rodeo Queen.
Maddy Durkin, the 20-year-old daughter of Kim Wedul, was born and raised in the Skagit Valley, growing
up on a farm. Maddy graduated from Burlington-Edison High School in 2020, and recently graduated from Skagit Valley College with her Associate of Arts Degree. She plans to continue her education at Western Washington University next fall to pursue a degree in Biology. A er that, she is considering attending Washington State University for Veterinary School.
e western way of life is nothing new to her. Getting on her rst horse at the young age of three, the rest is history. Growing up, Maddy competed in 4-H and on the Washington State High School Equestrian team with her two horses, Tango and Ash.
Her love of rodeo and the western way of life has continued to grow over the years. Ever since Maddy was a young girl, her family would attend the Sedro-Woolley Rodeo and Parade. Maddy would watch as the queens went by, admiring their grace and dignity, hoping one day that could be her.
Maddy is beyond thankful to have the opportunity to represent the Sedro-Woolley PRCA Rodeo as their 2023 Queen and can’t wait for all the adventures ahead of her!
Visit www.sedrowoolleyrodeo.com to nd out about rodeo queen event dates such as the horsemanship clinic and royalty trail ride plus contest eligibility and royal duties.
e Sedro-Woolley Rodeo named its rst queen in 1950, Glenda Rae Aldridge. A queen was chosen consecutively until 1953, followed by a break until 1971; a er which it became an annual tradition. e Sedro-Woolley Rodeo queen is an ambassador for the sport of rodeo and the Western way of life; she represents the program with grace, integrity and professionalism. Her reign is a 12 month-commitment, running January 1 through December 31. Competition for this title consists of horsemanship, public speaking, interviews, rodeo knowledge, appearance
and personality. Judges are chosen from throughout Washington State based on their knowledge and experience with rodeo but who have no personal knowledge and/or history with any of the contestants. During her reign the Sedro-Woolley Rodeo queen travels to various rodeos, parades, public events, interviews, coronations, and school and charity events throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Canada as approved by the royalty directors and Sedro-Woolley Rodeo Board.
e Kiddie Parade is for kids under 12! is is a great opportunity to celebrate the creativity of the city’s youth; the event has had about 25 participants per year in recent years but we are hoping to get more participants out this year by making it earlier in the day.
is parade will take place on Sunday, July 2 at 1 p.m. Please line up behind Lemley Chapel between 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. Judging will be handled by a community panel between 12:45 p.m. and 1 p.m. e parade lineup starts at Lemley Chapel then goes down Metcalf Street, turns right on Ferry Street, then right on Murdock Street. Parade categories include everything from decorated bicycles to logging. Children must be in
control of their entry. e grand prize winner has the option to participate in the Grand Parade on July 4.
Please visit www.loggerodeo.org for the complete list of entry rules and to download your parade entry form. Same day registrants are welcome. Contact the Loggerodeo™ o ce at 360-770-8452 with questions.
e 46th annual Rotary Footrace will be held on Tuesday, July 4 at 9:30 a.m. sharp. Check-in and same day registration are 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the parking lot in front of the Sedro-Woolley High School gym. Get a free T-shirt when you pre-register; same-day registration shirts are $10 while supplies last.
Pre-registration: Visit www.loggero-
deo.org or www.sedrowoolleyfootrace.com for the registration form. Cost is $30 including a T-shirt. Mail or drop o registration forms to the Janicki Logging O ce located at 103 N. Township St. by noon Friday, June 30.
e races are sponsored by the Loggerodeo™ and the Sedro-Woolley Rotary. e footrace has been a Rotary project for years; rotary members “man” the street corners along the race routes along with other organizational tasks. Long-time Sedro-Woolley Rotary board members, Brock Stiles and Kyle Rutherford, organize the event.
e 5.17-Mile Race and 2-Mile Fun Run/Walk are accurately-measured and well-policed, historically attracting 600+ participants each year. Both races travel along the Fourth of July Grand Parade route. e middle section of the 5.17-mile race runs along the Skagit River while the 2-mile course goes to the 1-mile turnaround and returns to the start/ nish line. Cash prizes are awarded to the top three men and top three women in each race.
Ages 14 and under and 70 and over are free (t-shirt not included), but must register day-of-race and receive a race number. If you want a T-shirt, we recommend pre-registering online at www. sedrowoolleyfootrace.com by 5 p.m., Friday, June 30.
Parking is available on the south side
of the high school athletic eld to avoid con icts with parade activities. Please do not park in the gym parking lot. Call Kyle Rutherford at 360-856-4465 with any questions.
Eagles Club parking lot: 1000 Metcalf Street
Call the Eagles Club at (360) 855-0530 for more event details
e Sedro-Woolley Eagles Club supports local agencies who protect and serve the community including police and re ghters, provides funding for medical research in areas such as kidney disease, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s and raises money to donate to the local food banks, families in need, the boys and girls club, and academic and sports scholarships.
e Eagles Club will be hosting several events on Monday, July 3 in their parking lot at 1000 Metcalf Street:
e classic car show will start at 10 a.m. and run until 4 p.m. e show will shut down south Metcalf Street from
SKAGIT PUBLISHING
Asplundh Tree Expert • Carl’s Towing • Eaglehaven Winery
E & E Lumber • Farmers Equipment Company • Fastenal
Federal Certi ed Hearing Center • e Garage Café/Shelley Shack
Janicki Logging • KAPS/KBRC • Keith Sorestad - State Farm Insurance Agent
Lemley Chapel • Louis Auto Glass • Paci c Party Canopies
Papé Machinery Agriculture & Turf • Piazza Construction
Rallye Auto Sales • Right Way Plumbing & Heating • Rob Graham Trucking
Skagit Aggregates • Stiles & Lehr Attorneys at Law • Sunset Storage
Windermere Real Estate • Wood’s Logging
Skagit Farmers Supply Country Store • Country Meadow Village
Judd & Black • Foothills Toyota • Freedom Entertainment Fireworks
Sedro-Woolley Fireman’s Association • Swinomish Casino/Hotel
e Walnut Tree (Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley)
Due to publication deadlines your name or organization may have been omitted. It will be appear on the Loggerodeo™ website and will also be announced at the Chainsaw Carving Competiton Awards Ceremony July 4th.
EVENT LOCATIONS
A. Footrace Start & Finish
Any final decisions affecting the race will come closer to the event – please check our website for updates or call Kyle Rutherford at 360-856-4465. (check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. – staggered start times may be used)
B. Wood Carving Events
C. SW Museum Displays & Antique Tractors
D. Fireworks
E. Beard Contest
(registration between 8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.)
F. Eagles BBQ
G. Kids’ Pancake Breakfast
(Check the Sedro-Woolley School District Facebook page or call the ASB office at 360-855-3510 ext. 8)
State Street. ere will be prizes awarded by independent judges, plus a 50/50 drawing and ra e tickets.
e Eagles is hosting a BBQ Cook-O competition with judging and tasting
from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. If you love BBQ, you won’t want to miss this event! ere will be judges and a People’s Choice winner. If you want to show o your BBQ skills, contact the Eagles to sign up for the competition.
Ride the mechanical bull while you enjoy delicious BBQ between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
e Chris Eger Band will be playing from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
e annual Barbeque in the Parking Lot will be held on July 4 from 11 a.m. –3 p.m. at 1000 Metcalf Street. ere will be hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and more.
e 2023 Street Dance will be held Saturday, July 1 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the corner of Metcalf and Ferry streets at Hammer Heritage Square. We hope to get a good crowd out to enjoy the music!
e Kevin Helgeson Band (pictured above) is a high energy three-piece classic rock cover band with some up-tempo country hits thrown in the mix. ey cover bands from the 60s to current including ZZ Top, e Doors, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty, and Brooks & Dunn. Kevin was born and raised in Sedro-Woolley. Kevin says, “I’m excited to play in the town where I grew up. is is my rst time playing at the Fourth of July event.”
Kevin has been rocking out in the Skagit Valley for over 30 years but this band has been playing together for about a year. Band members are Kevin Helgeson on electric guitar and vocals, Mark Danger on drums; and Denny Segel on bass. All members are from the Paci c Northwest.
TheLoggerodeo™ is run by an all-volunteer team headed up by President Dottie Chandler who took over seven years ago. Tonia Smiley has been Vice President since 2020. Organizing the event is a 12-month commitment. e Loggerodeo™ depends heavily on community support - both nancial and participatory - to keep it going. e festivities cost $80,000 to $100,000 to put on; paid for by personal and business donations and sponsorships, and money raised through the carnival, T-shirt sale, and the Quick Carve auctions. e more T-shirts that are sold and the more that is bid on carvings; the more money is raised for the Loggerodeo™. e Sedro-Woolley Carving Championships are known to carvers around the world. Said Dottie, “We are pleased to welcome some of the best carvers from all around the world. Carvers from all over are always asking to carve at our event but it’s invitational only, allowing us to feature the best of the best. We want to keep it in demand.”
ank you to the event’s con rmed sponsors.
General sponsors: WECU (Fireworks Show), ABOUT Plumbing, Asplundh Tree Expert, Banner Bank, Carl’s Towing, Dwayne Lane’s Auto Family, Eaglehaven Winery, E & E Lumber, Farmers Equipment Company, Fastenal, Federal Certi ed Hearing Center, e Garage Café/Shelley Shack, Hampton Family Forests, Janicki Industries, Janicki Logging, KAPS/KBRC, Keith Sorestad - State Farm Insurance Agent, Lemley Chapel, Louis Auto Glass, Paci c Party Canopies, Papa Murphy’s, Papé Machinery Agriculture & Turf, Peoples Bank, Piazza Construction, Pioneer Market, Rallye Auto Sales, Right Way Plumbing & Heating, Rob Graham Trucking, Sierra paci c, Skagit Aggregates, Skagit Readymix, Stiles & Lehr Attorneys at Law, Sunset Storage, Windermere Real Estate, Wood’s Logging.
T-Shirt sponsors: Skagit Farmers Supply Country Store (carvers and sta ), Country Meadow Village, Judd & Black, Foothills Toyota, Freedom Entertainment Fireworks, Sedro-Woolley Fireman’s Association, Swinomish Casino/Hotel, and e Walnut Tree (Soroptimist International of Sedro-Woolley).
Check our Facebook page and website for other sponsors who come in a er publishing. Please contact the Loggerodeo™ at sedrowoolleyloggerodeo@ frontier.com or 360-770-8452 to get involved or make a donation.
The2023 Chainsaw Carving Championship is thrilled to welcome 16 world-class pro carvers to compete against each other in this exciting weekend event. Meet the carvers in their bios.
Web: http://adrianbois.blogspot.com.ar
Facebook: /adrianboisart/
Phone: +54 3447 51-2290
E-mail: bois@live.com.ar
Adrian Bois is a professional chainsaw carver from Villa Elisa, Entre Ríos, Argentina. He studied electronics, engineering, administration, and international trade at di erent universities as he searched for the right direction. During this time, he was introduced to carving by making wooden toys, which led him to meeting chainsaw carving colleagues. He had found his calling. Today, he creates custom chainsaw art for companies, public entities, and individuals and conducts wood carving demonstrations and workshops. He also participates in chainsaw carving events and tours around the world. On his 2023 carving tour he will visit several locations in Argentina, Germany, and the USA.
E-mail: Alexdoesart82@gmail.com
Alex was born and raised in a small village in the Eastern European country of Moldova. He was an artist from an early age, starting with a love of drawing cartoon characters. In later years he expanded into oil painting on canvas. In 2007, he moved his family to the United States in search of a better life. ey settled in Renton, Washington.
“In the summer of 2009, I went to a wood carving show in Ocean Shores and fell in love with what I saw. I went home and tried to do some wood carvings myself, and I thought they turned out very good. Since then, I have been carving sculptures out of lumber, using the chainsaw”, he said. Alex went on to win second place in the semi-pro division in Ocean Shores; rst place for the most money maker; and rst place for the quick carve. In 2015, Alexandru won second place for carvings bringing in the most money at the carving festival in Arlington, Washington. He has participated in many street fairs, wood carving shows, and competitions.
In December, 2016, Alex and business partner Don Benson opened a shop in McKenna, WA, east of Yelm, to carve and sell their art. ey are slowly turning it into a carving studio.
Facebook: /NativeBeachArt
Phone: 360-269-2536
E-mail: Robinson72t@gmail.com
Raised on a farm in Ohio, Anthony builds luxury homes for a living. He moved to Hoquiam, Washington where he came across a large piece of dri wood and felt the urge to carve it into a wolf. He bought a chainsaw and….BOOM! He found his passion and has been chainsaw carving ever since. His infectious enthusiasm graces homes and businesses all over Washington and throughout the United States. He is the proud owner of Native Beach Accessories on Ocean Beach Road in Hoquiam, where his incredible talent is showcased.
Anthony was severely injured in July, 2022 while disposing of reworks. He lost most of his le thumb and some of his index and middle nger and was airli ed to Harborview hospital in Seattle for surgery. Not even a full year later he has overcome and is back to chainsaw carving. Anthony says, “You need three things to be an artist: gi , ambition, and desire.” Anthony, you are an inspiration to all of us!
Web: www.chainsawking.com
Facebook: /ChainsawKing
Phone: 253-686-8983
Bob started carving in the fall of 1998 a er seeing a local carver at the fair. He worked at Boeing and carved on the side until he was laid o in 2000, which prompted his move into full-time carving. He is now the owner of Bear Necessities Sculpture, LLC where he keeps busy lling orders for both private and corporate customers. King entered his rst competition a er carving only three bears and has been competing ever since. Bob was one of the original members of the Echo-USA Carving Team; having been asked to join in 2005. King is the main carver for Burton Snowboards, handling their custom jumps for snowboard runs. He has traveled to Daytona for Bike Week, carved at the Pocono 500 in Pennsylvania, participated in Harley Davidson’s 105th anniversa-
ry celebration in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and worked in conjunction with Lucas Films and Disney.
In 2010, Bob was honored with a star in the Carvers Walk of Fame in Mulda, Germany for winning more competitions than anyone in the world! Bob was honored with a fourth-place award for Best Overall Carver in the 2014 Loggerodeo™ carving competition. His winning carving was then purchased by Loggerodeo™ and donated as a memorial to the town of Oso for the mudslide. With the help of Patricia Dwelley of Reedsport, King created the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpture Championships in 2000. He has been invited to represent the United States in competitions in Germany, England, Scotland, Denmark, Holland, and Canada. He lives in Edgewood, Washington and carves all around the United States while not at home or traveling abroad. You can follow his travels on both his website
and Facebook page.
More or less a self-taught carver, Bob continues to grow in this art form by learning from other artists and pushing himself to try new things. Bob carves anything from realistic wildlife sculptures to scenes from life as he sees them. Every year brings new adventures in wood sculpture and connecting with friends and family along the way.
Web: https://chrisfoltzsculptures. wordpress.com/
Facebook: /devinesculptures
Instagram: /chefchainsaw/
Chris Foltz grew up in Hagerstown, Maryland but now lives in North Bend, Oregon with his wife and four sons. In the 2014 Chainsaw Carving Championships he was honored with the People’s Choice and Best Overall Carver award. He is a competitive wood and ice power sculptor and a Chef instructor at OCCI.
Foltz began working at the age of 14 in butcher shops cleaning the kill oors. He started his rst kitchen position at the age of 15. Foltz paid his own way through post-secondary, graduating with dual degrees in baking and cooking from Baltimore International Culinary College.
Chris started out making ice sculptures through his work as a chef about
Facebook: /pg/constantincarving/posts/
E-mail: costel.morari@gmail.com
Phone: 530-551-6343
14 years ago. In April, 2005 Chris took three days of formal ice sculpting instruction from Mike Vosburg in Richmond, VA. ree months later he entered his rst competition, the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Championship in Reedsport OR., where he won “rookie” of the year. Now, Chris is the only professional sculptor that is competing in both wood and ice at a world-class level, averaging twelve competitions a year and regularly placing in the top ranks. He has also been in uenced by iconic individuals including Bob and Cindy King who were the rst and most important to in uence Chris as a sculptor.
Foltz is best known for designs of original characters, comic book heroes, large animals of imagination, re-creations of strange animals and sculptures of children. Said Chris, “We always completely enjoy our time in Sedro-Woolley! My family has been lucky enough to
Born in Moldova, Constantin is now a custom wood carver from Sacramento, California. Constantin won rst place in the semi-pro division of the 19th annual Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Carving Championship.
Said Constantin, “I had a passion for the arts since I was a young child, so I attended an art school in my home country. My second passion has always been animals and a er I moved to the U.S., I was able to combine these two passions into wood carving. My good friend Alexandru Pricop mentored me and I have been carving for several years now. I am now happy to be able to provide carving lessons through my business. As a full-time pro-carver I work in at wood and 3D and I also try to combine sculpture and painting as much as possible. I like to represent nature and its beauty, animals, and moments from their daily life: movement, moods, and their ordinary behaviors. Carving inspires me to want more from life; helps me express my feelings. I carve wood and wood carves me into a better person. I look forward to carving new works full of inspiration at this year’s championships. I am excited to participate!”
Web: jacoblucascarving.com
Facebook: /Jacoblucascarving-103495724355118/
Phone: 253-223-1432
E-mail: carveandburn@yahoo.com
A resident of Bonney Lake, Washington; Jacob Lucas has been carving since 2004. roughout the years he has worked in many mediums such as drawing, clay sculpture, digital design, glass blowing, and chainsaw art.
Carving became a dream of Jacob’s as a child when his grandmother bought some cute carved bears at the local fair. A er an initial situation with a stolen saw, he came back to carving 11 years later when his grandmother o ered to buy him a new one. He was hooked right away. A few years in, Jacob decided to try competitive carving; he entered the Reed Sport Divisional in Oregon, taking second place in the semi-pro category. He returned the next year and entered as a professional, taking eighth place among 30 of the best carvers in the world. In 2015, Lucas was invited by Bob King to go to Mulda, Germany as his partner to represent the U.S.A. in the Huskycup Worldcup Championship Invitational chainsaw carving competition against teams from ve other countries and they took second place. Jacob went on to win rst place and People’s Choice in Reedsport in 2022, the biggest competition on the West Coast.
Lucas has been featured in many carving articles. He has spent the last 10 summers sculpting trees for the City of Bridgeport next to the Chief Joseph Dam in Eastern Washington, 30 miles south of Omak. He now has 30 sculptures in the town. Jacob also has a few sculptures on display in the City of Chelan and carved a 10-foot-tall nutcracker for the City of Leavenworth that is located in the center of town across from the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum.
Jacob carves full time and takes custom orders. He says “I love to make people smile with my art”.
Phone: 707-349-3677
E-mail: jflowers777@gmail.com
Based out of Lakeport, California, Jarrod has been carving since 2018. Flowers grew up in Arkansas, but moved to California where he luckily decided to stop at Mark Colp’s shop looking for mill scraps for a garden box. e rest is history. Said Jarrod, “Mark became my mentor and carving my meditation. is will be my fourth-year carving and my favorite themes to carve are nautical and wildlife, however, the ultimate goal with any creation is to make it beautiful and lively.” Last year he competed in Yreka, Reedsport, Ocean Shores, and Sedro-Wooley. Said Flowers, “Sedro was an awesome experience last year and I am looking forward to returning to this highlighted event!”
goskagit.com
Facebook: /mark.colp
E-mail: markcolp@hotmail.com
Mark Colp was born in Alberta, Canada and is proud to make chainsaw wood sculpting his life. He became a professional chainsaw sculptor right out of high school and has over 40 years’ experience in the business. Mark has a long list of accomplishments and is an award-winning wood sculptor with a shop in Lakeport, California. His many awards include winning the chainsaw carving invitational grand championship in New Mexico in 2013; winning the Redwood Regional in Ukiah, California in 2014; and rst place at Reedsport Oregon 2015 Albuquerque Fiesta Cup.
Mark was featured on seven out of 10 episodes of the reality show “Saw Dogs” that aired in Canada, the USA, Latin America, and Mexico. He also worked on a TV reality series for Carver Kings that began airing in 2015. Mark’s satisfaction in carving comes from the happiness that he is able to bring his customers through his art. His favorite sculptures are nautical themes and marine animals. Said Mark, “It’s my passion to create beautiful sculptures from wood that everyone enjoys. I love competing with some of my best buds and watching their awesome ability to create.”
Phone: 253-267-4915
E-mail: tallfirtreeexperts@gmail.com
Matt had the fortune of growing up just down the road from Mark and Colby Herrington where he was inspired by their work. Now 29, Matt has been carving since he was 15 out of Carbonado, Washington. He has competed and placed in shows since 2013. Matt loves to carve for a hobby while owning and operating his own tree service business. His favorite thing to carve is aquatic animals. A er a couple years o , Matt began competing again in 2022 and looks forward to continuing his creativity and sharing it with his family. Pictured here is Matt teaching his 8-year-old step daughter how to carve. She even sold a couple trees at a show last year!
Web: www.maggievalleycarving.com
Phone: 757-297-6319
E-mail: Mountainmike29@gmail.com
Mike Ayers can carve just about anything with a chainsaw. His journey started when his uncle asked if Mike could carve a bear. He did, but it took him two days, and he wasn’t happy with the results. Nevertheless, Mike’s neighbor bought it, so Mike kept carving. Today, with several years of chainsaw carving behind him, he holds the world record for most bears in an hour at thirty-eight.
At his Mountain Mike’s Whetstone Woodworks in Maggie Valley, large tree trunks lie in wait for their transformation at the hands of Mike’s chainsaw and imagination. As a competition carver, Mike has traveled to events all over the world. His work portrays lifelike sculptures carved from wood mostly sourced from the surrounding counties. He generally carves on-site, but he also carves standing trees on-location.
Visitors to Mountain Mike’s Whetstone Woodworks will see carvings of all kinds. Many are lifelike portrayals of the animals found in the western North Carolina mountains. But Mike also carves super heroes, recognizable gures from history, and anything that a customer wants or that he can dream up. Visitors can also watch, from a safe distance, as Mike carves his creations on-site.
Facebook: /nicklbywoodcarving
Phone: 360-477-7229
Nick Bielby has been carving for six years and 2023 will be his fourth year at the Sedro-Woolley chainsaw carving championships. Nick has carved at several other competitions on the West Coast. In 2019 he placed rst in the semi-pro division in Reedsport, which got him invited to Sedro-Woolley. Nick now has his own carving store in Port Angeles where his works are on display. Said Bielby, “I love to carve mostly wildlife and also enjoy competing in the carving world. I look forward to where carving will take me. Some people see a log laying on the ground. I see a bear or dragon. I’ve discovered that a chainsaw can work much like a paintbrush, and wood is canvas.”
IG: /sculpturesinmotion
Phone: 541-361-0122
E-mail: sculpturesinmotion@live.com
Growing up in Reedsport, Oregon, Ryan displayed artistic abilities. He was introduced to chainsaw carving just shortly a er turning 16 and became hooked on the art. Today he is a pro chainsaw sculptor, pumpkin sculptor, a member of the Makita carving team USA, and the Food Network’s Season 2 Outrageous Pumpkins champion. Ryan started his chainsaw carving career in June of 2005 a er being apprenticed by Tracie Britten eld of Packwood, Washington. A er graduating from Reedsport High School in 2007, Ryan began carving full time and attending more competitions. Ryan worked under Mark Colp during the winters of 2007 through 2011 learning more of the trade, which was hugely bene cial to Ryan’s sculpting career.
Ryan began as one of the youngest amongst his competitors, quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. During his pro career, Ryan has earned many awards. Some of his most recent include 1st place and the People’s Choice award at the 2021 Sedro-Woolley Chainsaw Carving Championships. In 2021 he also earned 1st place, People’s Choice, and Carver’s Choice awards at the Reedsport Chainsaw Carving Championships. In 2021, he was named champion of the Food Network’s “Outrageous Pumpkins” carving competition. He has competed in many international events including the English Open where he took second place.
Anderson is the performing artist for Sculptures in Motion and has been sculpting professionally since 2006. He was a highlighted carver on the reality show “Saw-Dogs.” In 2009 at the age of just 20, Ryan was invited to represent top of the line power equipment manufacturer Husqvarna. To this day Ryan creates “one-of-a-kind experiences” with inspiring sculptures using Husqvarna’s power tools.
Anderson enjoys a good challenge and using his imagination to come up with some very unique pieces of art. He also enjoys inspiring his fellow artists with his skills and techniques to help others learn the cra . Ryan credits his success to the sel ess dedication of his family, friends, and many of his fellow carvers that were willing to inspire him and help guide him along the way.
Phone:360-579-3574
E-mail:bigshot@whidbey.com
Steve Backus is a native of the great Paci c Northwest, born in Spokane, Washington and raised mostly on the Olympic Peninsula and southeast Alaska. Steve is a second-generation chainsaw carver to his mother, Judy McVay, which means that he has been in and around the logging culture that dominated the Paci c Northwest his whole life. Chainsaws and trees were around in a big way.
Steve has been carving in chainsaw carving competitions since the very rst one in 1981 at the Puyallup Fairgrounds in Washington State. With perseverance and a steadfast determination, he has gone on to being beat in more chainsaw carving contests than any other carver on Earth! As he traveled this path and learned much, he started to get involved in the organizer end of carving competitions to help develop what have become some of the standard guidelines in use in many chainsaw carving competitions to this day.
Steve has participated as a pro carver at most of the Sedro-Woolley Carving Championships over the years. He re ects on what a nice community Sedro-Woolley is and how the 4th of July celebrations are a ne example of small-town America with a well-educated chainsaw carving buying public. He states, “It would be fair to say that Sedro-Woolley is the chainsaw carving capitol of Washington State!”
Steve is a published author with his rst book called “You’ve Got to Be Shitting Me” all about growing up in the Tramp Logger culture and being raised as a chainsaw carver cub. You can check out this ne piece of literature on Amazon.
Web: https://tomasvrba.com/
Phone: 206-227-6647
Email: tomas@tomasvrba.com
Tomas Vrba is an award-winning chainsaw sculptor and metal artist. Tomas combines the classical ne arts training he received in his native country of Slovakia with the raw power of modern tools, like the chainsaw, to create a unique style of sculpture. At his studio in Bellingham, Washington, Tomas creates commissioned sculptures in metal and wood, including chainsaw carvings and tree stump art, for display in private residences and public works.
Growing up in Slovakia before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Tomas never imagined he’d get the chance to be a working artist, let alone an artist making a name for himself in America. In the early 1990’s, Tomas earned a spot in an art school apprenticeship program where he spent the next four years training in classical wood carving. He went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Sculpture Restoration from VSVU Bratislava, one of Europe’s premier ne arts institutions.
A er college, Tomas spent a number of years as a ne art restorer in Vienna, preserving some of the world’s nest works of art. But despite his success, he dreamed of creating his own sculptures. While on vacation in Berlin, Tomas met Allison, who was visiting from the Seattle area, where she was born and raised. In 2006, Tomas and Allison married and returned to the Paci c Northwest, where they opened Tomas Vrba Studio.
Facebook: /WadeLappCarver/ Instagram: /wadelapp/ Tiktok: @WadeLapp
Phone: 360-703-5126
Email: wadelapp11@gmail.com
Wade Lapp has been a professional multimedia artist since 2012. He carves in multiple mediums, including wood, pumpkins, and ice, and sculpts in sand and clay. Lapp is from Kelso, Washington. He started competing in chainsaw carving at the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Championship as a semi-pro and placed 3rd. Soon a er, he competed in the Sedro-Woolley Loggerodeo and placed 5th in 2022. He also earned 2nd place at the World Ice Art Championship Multiblock in Fairbanks, Alaska in 2021 and won People’s Choice in Multiblock in 2022. He took 1st place at Texas Sandfest in Port Aransas in the semi-pro division in 2021 and 2022. He moved up to Masters in 2023 and won People’s Choice. Lapp likes to carve mythical/whimsical creatures, faces, wildlife and sea creatures. He will have many wood sculptures displayed at Spirit of Halloweentown in 2023, a 6-week event that takes place in Saint Helens, Oregon in September and October. His two walk-through attractions/exhibits are called Whispers in the Woods, which showcases a lot of his tree spirits carvings and the Pumpkins and Sasquatch Walk, which features his wood carved pumpkins with faces and sasquatches, giant snails, mushrooms, and other creatures in the woods. Wade is also looking forward to the Sedro-Woolley Carving Championships, “I feel excited about participating at the Loggerodeo event. It’s a great competition from world renowned carvers. It’s an honor to be part of this event.”
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TheSedro-Woolley Museum has been a special part of the Sedro-Woolley community for 30 years. With its celebration of the city’s growth all the way back to the frontier era up to more modern times, it is a cherished resource for both Sedro-Woolley residents and visitors from around the country and the world. e museum is operated by an all-volunteer sta of Sedro-Woolley residents and most exhibits were built with materials donated by members of the community. Dale Robertson, who has been working with the museum since it opened in 1992, was elected as museum board president in October 2018. He was instrumental in creating the museum’s current structure, which includes smaller display rooms. Longtime president, Carolyn Freeman, continues her work supporting the museum from home, as needed.
e museum volunteers work to refresh and add new exhibits every year to keep things interesting. A er a museum member found old photos of Skagit Speedway at a local garage sale, volunteers began work on a new exhibit that will be open May 21-22, 2022. (See details about the open house under Featured Events below). e exhibit will include an old car that raced at the speedway, as well as hundreds of photos and brochures. e photos date back to 1951; come and see if you recognize any of your relatives!
If you haven’t seen it yet, come check out the new entrance with Carnegie light pillars and other memorabilia salvaged from the old library. Recently refreshed exhibits include the Cokedale Mine and the replica of a frontier town, with a barn, blacksmith shop, and school house. ere is a new front façade on the
Dream eater. More businesses have been added throughout the museum. e Main Street exhibit with a post o ce, jail, saloon, bank, and newspaper o ce is better than ever. Exhibits feature railroads, logging and the Skagit Steel gallery that highlights one of our major local industries, as well as Northern State Hospital and tributes to the military and the town’s “Founders, Movers, and Shakers.” In honor of the 100-year anniversary of our re department, the re/police department exhibit was refreshed with new pictures and uniforms.
e Research Library is always growing with new archival collections, photographs, maps, newspapers, and other materials that help researchers nd answers to their questions about our area’s history.
e Gi Shop o ers a fun, fresh selection of books and postcards about local history. Locally made gi items such as candles and hand-saw trees are available,
as well as museum T-shirts.
e Sedro-Woolley Museum’s annual membership drive is in January, but people are welcome to join in person or on-line throughout the year. Volunteers make events possible. Your help, even once a month, will make a di erence in the community. And it’s fun! Please call or stop by the museum to see which opportunity would be enjoyable for you. Many special events o er a variety of experiences, including the Love that Train event in February that highlights the museum’s extensive model railroad set-up.
Skagit Speedway Exhibit Open House: May 21 & 22, 2022
e museum will be hosting an open house on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22 to celebrate the opening of its brand-new exhibit about the Skagit Speedway. Hours are 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Please join us!
Blast from the Past: June 3- 5, 2022
e museum will be open Friday, June
3, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday, June 4 (open house) and Sunday, June 5 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
e American Legion Car Show will be next door on Sunday.
We hope that actor and paranormal investigator Chad Lindberg can return for “ e Spirits of Christmas Past” at the museum again this year. ese entertaining and interactive programs are typically held twice a day, the weekend before Christmas. Reservations are a must, as the shows are limited to 25 people. Check the museum website or
call the museum at 360-855-2390 for program times, dates, and tickets.
Santa’s Throne: TBA
e museum is planning to do a meet and greet with Santa at the museum again this year; date and time to be determined. Children can meet Santa and enjoy cookies and a tour of the museum. Parents are welcome to take pictures of their kids visiting with Santa. Check the museum website or call the museum at 360-855-2390 for event information closer to December.
Annual membership drive: January, 2023
Love That Train event: February, 2023
e museum is excited to bring this event back. Check the museum website or call the museum at 360-855-2390 for event information.
Contact Information
Website: www.sedro-woolleymuseum.com
Address: 725 Murdock St., Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
Phone: 360-855-2390
E-mail: swmuseum@comcast.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ WoolleyMuseum
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ sedrowoolleymuseum/
Hours:
Museum: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday, noon – 3 p.m. There is a $2.50 suggested donation to enter.
360.856.2211
www.HelpingHandsFoodBank.org
P.O.Box632,Sedro-Woolley,WA98284
Research library: available by appointment only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. To make an appointment, call the museum at 360-855-2390 or research librarian Sharon Howe at 360-854-9814.
