Cashmere Chamber of Commerce prepares for Grand Parade

CASHMERE—As Founders’ Days celebrations approach, the Cashmere Chamber of Commerce continues to organize its Crunch Pak Grand Parade. The organization is looking forward to bringing the community together with a range of fun partners, including local favorites like Crunch Pak.

Chamber Office Manager and Events Coordinator, Jackie Rector, detailed the variety of participants lined up for this year's parade, “Right now, I have about 38 participants or groups. We’ll have the Chelan Royalty, the Autumn Leaf Royalty… and then, the Fire Department and various local leaders… we also have the Wenatchee Wild, and the Wenatchee Big Horns are participating.”

Rector went on to share the groups she’s most excited to see “Well, we’re always very proud of the Cashmere Royalty of course. But, we are having Smokey the Bear’s 80th birthday and the US Forest Department is coming to celebrate Smokey and I thought that was cute!”

A fan favorite of the parade is also returning this year, according to Rector, “I’m actually new in this position. But I’ve heard that there’s a lot of excitement about Crunch Pak sponsoring Founders Day. A lot of participants enjoy them being the grand marshals, being at the beginning of the parade, because they hand out their apple packs and people enjoy snacking on their apples while watching the parade.” 

Without sponsors like Crunch Pak, the parade itself would not be possible. 

As Rector explains, the parade receives much of its funding from the support of local businesses like, “Crunch Pak, Martin’s Market IGA, Cashmere Valley Bank, Doane’s Pharmacy, and Town Toyota Center [which] is actually a sponsor this year for the first time.”

The parade starts at 5 p.m. on June 29th as way of concluding the wide array of Founders’ Days celebrations in Cashmere which includes the Mission Creek Community Club’s Car Show, a Riverside Park Beer and Cider Garden hosted by Orchard Cider, and the Family Fun Fair & Salmon Release organized by the Cashmere Library. 

These Founders’ Days festivities will all begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 2 p.m. followed by the rededication of the Tree of Peace at Cashmere Museum and Pioneer Village at 2 p.m. and the Town Toyota Center Ping Pong Ball Drop at Riverside Park scheduled for 3-4 p.m.

With the Grand Parade finishing off the day of celebrations, Rector plans for it to draw crowds from other events, stating, “Most of the stuff in the park will pack up about 2 o’clock because the helicopter is there from 3 to 4 for the ping pong ball drop and then the parade is at 5 so everybody will kind of move from the car show and the family fun fair and come down to Cottage Avenue for the parade, and the whole thing kind of wraps up by 6:30 or 7 o’clock.”

Locals and visitors alike are invited to celebrate Cashmere’s Founder’ Days on June 29 and 30, with the Crunch Pak Grand Parade representing the community through a diverse organization of its most impactful leaders, businesses, and cultural groups. Come and enjoy free candy and apples as the City of Cashmere celebrates their founding. 

For more information about the Crunch Pak Grand Parade, contact Jackie Rector at (509)783-7404 or info@cashmerechamber.org

Will Nilles: (509) 731-3211 or will@ward.media