You're Invited to "Come Watch the Paint Dry" on Toppenish's Newest Mural!

Who could resist and invitation like that?! The Toppenish Mural Society's Mural in a Day is a two day event, June 3th and 4th, 2011, featuring the painting of a western themed mural. Each year one artists work is chosen for the mural and a dozen other artists come help paint the mural in one day.

While in Toppenish, enjoy live music, steak feed 5pm Friday, Craft Vendors, Mural in a Day, horse drawn tours of over 70 Murals and more.

Past mural artists prints and paintings can be viewed at the Toppenish Visitor Center, just look for the tallest flag pole in Washington State. In the picture above, the mural is being painted on the Toppenish Visitor Center.

To pick up the 2011 Yakima Valley Visitor Guide new comprehensive map to all the murals in Toppenish, stop at the Yakima Valley Visitor Information Center off exit 33a I-82E.

While in Toppenish Take time to visit the Yakima Valley Rail & Steam Museum, in the restored Toppenish train depot. The American Hop Museum, the only one in America, is the place to learn about the Yakima Valley Hop production and history. The Yakima Valley produces over 75% of the hops sold in the world.

See Yakama Nation Native American heritage at the Yakama Nation Museum and Cultural Heritage Center.

If you are interesting in nature, view a stunning number of waterfowl at the Toppenish Wildlife Refuge.

So much to do and learn while the paint dries!




2011 Toppenish Mural Event at Pioneer Park located at 504 S. Elm Street

Schedule:
June 3rd - 4-8pm - Lions Club steak feed at 5pm; food and craft vendors 12-6pm
June 4th - 7am-5pm – Lions Club pancake breakfast at 7:30am; food and craft vendors 9am-4pm
Iron Angels Club Car Show 8am-4pm.

201o Yakama Native American Celebrations. (videos)

Have a passion for history? The Yakama Native Americans have preserved rich cultural traditions. In June11-13 2010, a celebration the signing of the Treaty of 1855, will take place in White Swan, WA, just outside of Toppenish. The Yakima Nation will be celebrating the 156th year of the signing of the Yakama Nation Treaty during Yakama Nation Treaty Days Pow Wow, June 11-13 2010. The All-Indian Rodeo takes place in the nearby town of White Swan, WA.

The treaty was signed at Camp Steven in Walla-Walla between then governor Isaac I. Stevens, the superintendent of Indian Affairs and the confederated tribes and bands consolidated under the name "Yakama". These tribes consist of the Yakama, Palouse, Pisquouse, Wenatshapam, Klikatat, Klinquit, Kow-was-say-ee, Li-ay-was, Skin-pah, Wish-ham, Shyiks, Ochechotes, Kah-milt-pay, and Se-ap-cat.

The celebration includes a salmon feed, traditional stick games and an all Native American Rodeo, a sample of the bull riding event can be seen in the video below:






This is also a time for the Nations and Confederated Tribes to gather together for Pow-Wow. Men, women and children participate in numerous traditional Native American dances. The video below show women participating in the traditional dances, men also dance, although they dance separately.






Sources:Treaty/Tribes info.-CRITFC Columbia River Inter Tribal Fish Commission

*Jackson's (Flat) Stanley Adventure in the Yakima Valley!

Jackson's Stanley from King Williams, Virginia, came to the Yakima Valley to visit his cousin, Heather. His first stop was the Yakima Valley Visitor Information Center and Gift Shop, Exit 33A off I-82East. The visitor center staff helped him with a Yakima Valley Visitor Guide, Map and information on the attractions and activities in the Yakima Valley. He learned that the Yakima Valley in Central Washington State is one of the world’s top agricultural growing regions. Abundant fresh fruit such as cherries, many kinds of apples, peaches, pears, grapes which are made into wine, and a great variety of fresh produce can be found in the Yakima Valley. Jackson's Stanley chose some fun places to visit and exciting activities in Yakima.

Jackson's Stanley wanted to go to a Yakima Bear's Game but baseball season hadn’t started yet. He did go to see the Yakima County Stadium, and would like to come back and watch a ball game there, when they start in June. He especially wants to go to a Friday night game where there will be live music from 6-7.

The Yakima SunDome is next to the Yakima County stadium. “Walking with the Dinosaurs,” will be playing April 23-26. He is looking forward to seeing life sized dinosaurs!

Jackson's Stanley learned to roller skate with Heather at Skateland Fun Center Roller/Inline Skating Rink in Union Gap. This is a large indoor rink, open year round. After roller skating he ate a famously huge Miner burger at Miners Drive Inn. Miner’s has been in the Valley since 1948.

Jackson's Stanley was told at the Yakima Valley Visitor Information Center that Toppenish was the capital of the Yakama Nation, and is known for over 70 large Western-themed murals on the sides of the buildings. A new mural is painted every year – all in one day! June 5- 6, 2009 marks the 20th Anniversary of Mural-in-a-Day, creating Toppenish's 71st mural. Friday June 5 will include the preparation of the wall, mixing paint and cartooning. The artist, whose mural design is chosen, will have the help of other artists to paint the mural on Saturday. A dozen professional artists will begin painting at 9 am and finish the entire mural by nightfall. During these two days there will be a pancake breakfast, horsedrawn mural tours, crafts vendors and other special events.

This is Jackson's favorite mural!

Jackson's likes trains! In Toppenish at the Northern Pacific Rail and Steam Museum, he saw the 1902 steam engine that is being restored as well as the Train Depot built in 1930 and train related artifacts.

Jackson's (Flat) Stanley had fun in the Yakima Valley visiting with Heather! He hopes to come back again soon!

*For Jackson and Heather