Featured News, South County

McCloud’s Lumberjack Festival in its 76th Year and Going Stronger Than Ever

The 76th Annual McCloud Lumberjack Fiesta was very well attended this year. The good weather brought a lot of people out to enjoy all the festivities which started at Hoo Hoo Park on Friday afternoon with the Little Miss Fiesta/Little Logger Contest. Out of 5 Lumberjack dressed young boys and 10 very cute and talented girls, 5-year-old Mavrick Bundy from Redding won the hearts of the 4 judges to become the 76th Little Logger, and 6-year-old Kenzie Robles from Mount Shasta was crowned Miss Fiesta.

Wildwomen Sounds hosted the evening which all started at 6 PM in the evening along with the Axe Throwing Clinic for kids

and the Papa Anderson Memorial Softball Tournament.

Early Saturday, people wandered over to the American Legion Post 92 for a pancake breakfast as the softball tournament continued and the Harold Benedict Memorial Horseshoe Tournament started their signups.

Before noon, people flocked over to Main Street to watch the parade. This year, there were 17 entries that were judged by Lyn Tyhurst, Susie Robison, Martha Smedberg, Riley Vanrooyn, and Shari Rouiller with It’s a Sign by Shari who made the name tags and parade numbers.

This years Grand Marshal Stephanie Burris

Parade winners were:

Non-motorized: 1st place-McCloud  Garden Club 

Kids: 1st place-Girls’ Club

Novelty:

1st place-McCloud Masters

     

         2nd place- Siskiyou Pipers
3rd place- Cushman

                Motorized: 

1st place- John Deere Tractor

                  2nd place- American Legion Motorcycle Riders

                   3rd place- Frank Spagnola

Organizations: 1st place – American Legion

                         2nd place- McCloud Golf Club ‘celebrating their 100th year

                          4th place-McCloud Fire Department 

               Judge’s Choice Awarded to the Squaw Valley Riding Club which is celebrating their 75th year.

Parade Coordinator Lindy Fay said, “The US Forest Service got called out to a fire just at the start of the parade so they didn’t participate. A lot of effort went into the floats. The parade was well attended.”

Back in the park, Jimmy Limo played his music in the afternoon among the many craft and food booths. There were also waterslides and horse carriage rides

On Sunday, the watermelon eating contest drew a huge crowd. There were 30 participants in the 5 to 10-year-old age group.

There were many winners in the popular Adult Amateur Logging Show Competitions.

This year, this part of the Lumberjack Fiesta was dedicated to Don Henson.

Five generations of the Henson family came to celebrate and compete,
including Don’s father, Joe Henson

who took over the axe throwing competition in 1966 and worked it for 20 years before Don took it over in the 90’s. Don volunteered every year since until he passed away last year after the festival. 

The categories in the logging competition included Power Puff, Men’s Axe Throw, Business Axe Throw, Single Buck Saw, Female Choker Set, Jack and Kill Buck Saw, Men’s Double Buck Saw, Men’s Choker Set, Jill and Jill Buck Saw, 8 to 10-year-old Axe Throw, 11 to 13 Axe Throw, 8 to 10 Choker Set, and 11 to 13 Choker Set.

This year was the 2nd Annual Bill and Amy Anderson Cornhole Tournament.

This too, was well attended.

There were 13 teams competing in the Annual Papa Anderson Softball Tournament.

The team, Slammin’ Salmon, went undefeated. with Darius Smith, Jake Mekeel, Bryce Giacomelli and Jared Atterberry making all-tourney. MVP of the tournament went to Jacob Carter.

2nd place was Kyles Krew and all tourney went to Brandon McLeod, Kyle Reed, and Bryson Parratt.

3rd place was 1 Pitcher and 9 Mugs with Charlie Fox and Dylan Wiegand taking all tourney.

4th place was Hoot Boys from Yreka with Travis Sutter taking all tourney.

MVP went to Andrew Reed.

Lastly, we can not forget about the Harold Benedict Horseshoe Tournament. Continuing in the family, father and son Richard and Kyle Benedict will be taking the reins next year.

A message from The McCloud Community Recreation Council/Lumberjack Fiesta Days President Patty Ballard-Faulkner:
We at the The McCloud Community Recreation Council, would like to show our appreciation to the following businesses and volunteers: 

Bill Michalon , You will never know how much I appreciate you. 

MCSD, thank you all for the work you do to help make this event happen.

Thank you McCloud Chamber of Commerce, McCloud Market, Heart of the Earth, Campbell Global, LLC, Precision axes LLC, Roseburg Forest Products, Accord Logging/ Bill Accord, McCloud American Legion, McCloud Catholic Church, Steve Richardson Designs, Custom Designs/Karen, Sportsman’s Den, Blach Beverage – Victor and Deanna Kertulla/ Scott and Patricia Ross, Work Ponies, Tom Ricker and Meg /crew (lil logger and Miss Fiesta ride), Cindy Miller / Crystal Geyser, McCloud Fire Dept/ Sean Pouty, McCloud Mill Partners / Bruce Berlinger, Geeia Wildman with Wildwoman sounds, and Roadie Shawn Birkhofer. 

Also, the Harold Benedict horseshoe tournament, PaPa Anderson tournament, Bingo,  2nd  Cornhole Tournament, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Anderson, Dale Faulkner, James Ballard, Sandra Ballard, Mary Worley, Kevin Trout,- Kaylee Graves, Sheri Burris, Tristan Burris, Stephanie Burris, Kayla Burris, Kayrisa Burris, Kayden Burris, David Wolfe, Alisha Wolfe, Myles Jones,  Dodson/ Keith Belcher, Lynn Clark and Boys, Robin Johnson, Beth Wood, John Friday, Liz Steel, Greg Joyce, Chad Henson, Lily Henson, James Henson, Sharon Dalleske, Cody Henson, Krystal DelBono, Chris Rathbun, Lindy Fay, Linda Hicklin, Minnie Prinz, Christine Prinz, Ben Smith, Sybil Stewart, Eileen Bauer, Tom and Judy Sarti, Debbie Friend, Sandy Jones Berry, Tom and Marie Evans, Jerry Glynn, Chuck and Carol Huebert, Lynn French, Paula Klienhans, John and Lynn Butler, Al Shoenstein, Angelica Ramos, Marie Gates-Green, Diana King, Sabrina Henson, Yvonne Wilson, Hoo Hoo Park Tim, and Shareen Strauss. 

 A Big Thank you to all the parade participants, vendors and everyone who  enjoyed the 76th McCloud  Lumberjack Fiesta Event. 

If anyone is missed, we truly do not intend to forget anyone. From the bottom of our hearts we ‘Thank you’ To everyone who visited, played and or even helped with set up , take down and clean up.

Next years 77th McCloud Lumberjack Fiesta will be July 26, 27, 28 2024


One Comment

  1. Carol King-Perea

    Great event coverage and terrific pictures..what an event. Congratulations to all of the citizens, clubs and groups and alllll the participants. McCloud is a beautiful city made up of delightful people !!!

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