Logger’s Playday is an annual festival celebrating a 150 year tradition and industry of logging in the Pacific Northwest. This internationally known celebration takes place every September in Hoquiam, WA, and provides a day of fun, food and competition.
Logging essentially built Grays Harbor County, from the lumber barons of the nineteenth century to the forestry industry of today. In fact, Hoquiam actually means “hungry for wood.” Several logging companies are still located in town, exporting lumber and other forest products. Therefore, it is only fitting that this town serve as host to the celebration of the industry.
Logger’s Playday begins with the Rotary Club’s Famous Pancake Feed. The fun continues throughout the day with the vendor street fair from 10AM until 4PM. The street fair features food, crafts, music and even a truck driving competition. The fair is located at 7th and J streets in downtown.
Also taking place during the day is the Jack Reynvaan Memorial Run. This race consists of a two mile fun run, a 5 kilometer run and a 10 kilometer run. All races are open to the public. With only two steep hills, the course is relatively flat and both start and finishes at the high school. Registration is at 8AM and the race kicks off at 9AM.
One of the most popular parts of the day is the Logger’s Playday Parade. Several organizations participate and it is sponsored by the Elks Lodge. It begins at noon on Early Street and ends on 5th Street. A Park and Ride shuttle transports observers from the Olympic Stadium to downtown for the parade, and local officials recommend finding a spot early due to crowds. Immediately after the parade, at 2PM, is the Salmon Bake.
The climax of Logger’s Playday is the lumberjack games at 6PM in Olympic Stadium. Loggers come from all over the country to compete in games of skill. One of the most popular games is the choker setting competition. During this contest, loggers run across logs hanging over a large pool of water, and try to set a steel cable around the log. Frequently, the contestants take a fall and end up in the water. Other games include log rolling, log chopping, tree climbing and binder throwing, also known as ax throwing. The contestants enjoy the fun and competition and the audience loves cheering and learning about saws and axes and the people who use them.
The Grays Harbor area has several hotel and other lodging options for out of town celebrants. Perhaps the most fitting for a lumberjack event is the Hoquiam Castle. Originally built by lumber Baron Robert Lytle, this bed and breakfast has been restored, giving the guest a sense of history with all the modern conveniences.
At dusk, Logger’s Playday concludes with a fireworks show. The fun and food of this festival has kept people coming back to Hoquiam, WA for almost 50 years. This Northwestern celebration should not be missed.
Learn more about Wade Entezar on the little metropolitan of Hoquiam takes stock in the future and takes to the water.
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