Saturday started with people like Leah Baller waking up early and working hard to help enrich her community at the Rotary Club of Hoquiam pancake breakfast — the first event for Hoquiam Loggers’ Playday.

Baller was selling programs for her son Cody’s school. She said her volunteer shift there went from 6 to 8 a.m. Baller said the attendance picked up near the time her shift was ending.

Baller had a smile on her face as she talked about that, her son starring in the Hoquiam High School band at noon, racing miniature derby cars against her younger son Carson, and Hoquiam Loggers’ Playday as a whole.

“He’s really excited,” Baller said about Cody playing clarinet during the parade. “It’s his senior year. You’re gonna have me crying.”

Baller showed photos of the derby cars that she and her youngest son Carson made for a race at Hoquiam Brewing Company. And then it was all about the rest of the day’s events.

Baller said her favorite part of Hoquiam Loggers’ Playday was that “everybody gets together.”

“Pretty much (it’s) that families come from other areas and spend time visiting,” Baller said. “It’s a real celebration for our hometown.”

Before the parade started, like way before the parade started, a determined Mickey Thurman set up her family’s chairs for the best viewing spot possible. Thurman, vice president of 7th Street Theatre, was motivated Saturday morning as she was awake and placing the chairs near the Hoquiam Elks Lodge 1082 at about 5:45 a.m. She was just that excited for the biggest city-wide celebration for Hoquiam.

“I think it’s just that there are so many people who come to enjoy tradition,” Thurman said about her favorite element of Hoquiam Loggers’ Playday. “My favorite part would have to be the parade. It’s so much fun seeing the people come through, plus the log trucks and the floats. And I do like the salmon bake.”

Apologies for the spoiler alert, but Thurman was right to make sure to mention the salmon bake. A filling meal with a large filet cooked to perfection, a baked potato, a couple of non-alcoholic drink options and some cole slaw. Not a bad way to re-energize for the logging show that takes place next door at Olympic Stadium.

Cathy LeCompte was sitting curbside on 8th Street in order to see the school bands, cheerleaders, parade floats and more. It was her first Hoquiam Loggers’ Playday in 25 years. She lived up in Alaska, mainly Seward, during that time. She sounded glad to be back for a Grays Harbor tradition.

“It’s great,” LeCompte said. “I love hometown parades. All the pomp and circumstance, it’s awesome.”

LeCompte said her favorite part is hearing the marching bands play as they step in sync to their own well-coordinated beat.

“It’s always fun to see them play their fight song,” said LeCompte, whose eight-year-old granddaughter, an Aberdeen girl just like her, was in the parade as a cheerleader. “When Hoquiam came by, people stood up and clapped. I’m waiting for the Bobcat Band.”

A little of that Myrtle Street rivalry

Baller, the proud Grizzly mom that she is, said how when the Aberdeen band came by she stood but she couldn’t clap for the band’s fight song. When the Grizzlies came by, she celebrated with the best of them. But, it’s all in good fun, which is what Hoquiam Loggers’ Playday is all about.

Throw out the proper etiquette rules for this salmon

The Hoquiam Lions Club Salmon Bake was an especially popular one this year. The last tickets were sold just before 6 p.m. But the good thing for the people who showed up last to it is there was still a bit more left for the volunteers to provide. There was even extra. At first, the volunteers tried to offer more baked potatoes.

But the prize was the fish, so people asked about that. When the last of the salmon was offered, it made the hungry scavengers bold in getting the scraps of what remained.

“The shame is worth it for this salmon,” one person said as they used the spatula to heap more pieces of salmon shreds from the cutting board.

The logging show

Erik Pink and his family — sons Ryder and Tate, two nephews Mason and Cruz, and his girlfriend Tawnee — were headed to where they’d stand for the duration of the show when Erik stopped to talk about what he enjoys about Hoquiam Loggers’ Playday.

“I just like the community coming together, it’s a great time,” Erik said. “This year’s looking pretty good. The community comes together. Everyone puts in money, the buttons and everything. And the competitors, everyone puts on a show. It’s hometown fans, hometown stuff, hometown fun, good stuff.”

The ripping of the chain saws and a whole lot more large, sharp tools buzzed in the background as Erik spoke.

“We’ve grown up a logging family, loggers and fishermen,” Erik said. “My two nephews here, their dad works for Adams, he’s a hook-tender (and) timber-faller for them. My son Ryder, his dad’s ex-timber faller, we all grew up with timber families. I just fish (now) but I still log when I’m not doing anything and the guys need help.”

And with typical fashion, as people filled the stands, many people filled the field and watched as the competitors put on an exciting show. Erik spoke briefly on Monday about the show.

“The whole show was great, but the hot saws are my favorite,” Erik said.

The winners

The results, according to the Hoquiam Loggers’ Playday Committee, are below. The first-place winners are listed first, the second-place winners are listed second:

All-around:

• Nicholas Strachota

Local all-around:

• Cody Labahn

Local Axe Throw:

• Lee Pickett

• Johnny Boggs

Local Power Saw Bucking:

• Gage Daniels — 29.92

• Brady Cummings — 30.42

Local Climb:

• Nicholas Strachota — 55.94

• Larry Vessey — 1:51.40

Local Choker Setting:

• Derek Such — 21.00

• Johnny Boggs — 22.58

Local Double Buck:

• Brady Cummings and Gage Daniels — 1:16.25

• Nicholas Strachota and Isiah Obermire — 1:32.74

Log Chop:

• Cody Labahn — 21.08

• Eric Hoberg — 21.90

Springboard Chop:

• Eric Hoberg — 1.06.64

• Cody Labahn — 1:23.77

Obstacle Pole Bucking:

• Cody Labahn — 12.75

• Colin Towne — 16.08

Ma & Pa Bucking:

• Erin Cramsey and Cody Labahn — 25.90

• Mike and Sandra Forrester — 33.4

Open Axe Throw:

• Mike Johnson

• Eric Hoberg

Open Double Buck:

• Erin Cramsey and Cody Labahn — 18.94

• Eric Hoberg and Mike Forrester — 23.07

Open Power Saw:

• Pat Mahoney — 29.10

• T.J. Bexten — 29.20

Hot Saw:

• T.J. Bexten — 7.8• Cody Labahn — 13.50

Open Climb:

• Bo Carlson

• Derek Such

Open Choker Setting:

• Bo Carlson — 15.06

• Cody Labahn — 20.01

Contact Reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com.

Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World Stafford Creek Corrections Center Honor Guard proudly presents colors as they head northwest on K Street in downtown Hoquiam for the Hoquiam Loggers Playday Parade.

Matthew N. Wells / The Daily World Johnny Boggs, back left, poses with his friend Erik Pink, back center, and Pink’s family. Pink is holding his son Tate. Pink’s girlfriend Tawnee stands to Pink’s right. In front, from left, Pink’s older son Ryder and his nephews Cruz and Mason stand.