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