Loggers Playday 2017: Soggy parade, but skies cleared as the competition began

Spar tree smashes the watermelon on the first try, then took it up a notch

By Dan Hammock • September 9, 2017 9:52 pm

Ed Smith climbed to the top of the spar tree at Loggers Playday Saturday evening, a watermelon resting at its base. Using his chain saw and a couple of wedges, the 72-year old dropped a large section on the watermelon, the crowd at Olympic Stadium cheering wildly.

Then he took it up a notch. Or two.

An old Volkswagen Beetle, painted like a watermelon, was delivered to the base of the spar tree. Again, Smith expertly dropped a section of the spar tree on the watermelon car, with a loud crash that brought a roar from the hundreds of people in the stands.

The competition was fierce, as usual. One competitor came a bit too quickly down his tree during the climbing competition and cleary racked up his knee. He, of course, continued competing. As did the young man in the choker setting competition. Pushing himself a little too hard at the end of the course, he fell forward onto the log obstacle and clearly at least had the wind knocked out of him. A log rolling exhibition was a hit, and the ladies on the Playday court got a crash course that ended with all of them soaked head to toe.

Full results will be posted soon.

Earlier in the day, hundreds braved a soggy afternoon and took in the annual parade in downtown Hoquiam. Dozens of entries walked the route, with the loaded log trucks and the Hoquiam High School marching band among the crowd favorites.

DAN HAMMOCK | THE DAILY WORLD Olympic Stadium was buzzing Saturday evening, especially when the open power saw division competition at Loggers Playday was on.