McCloud's 77th Lumberjack Fiesta Had it all

“We are into four generations of families experiencing the continued traditional and historic fun activities that 77 years of Lumberjack Fiesta Days bring,” says Patty Ballard-Faulkner, president of the McCloud Community Recreation Council and coordinator of this festival for the past 14 years.

Whatever each family member is into, it is all there to enjoy at Hoo Hoo Park during this annual three-day affair.

Lucas McAbier awarded Little Logger 2024

It all began Friday evening, July 26th, with the Little Miss Fiesta/Little Logger Contest. DJ Geeia with Wildwoman Sounds Hosts the adorable event and the dance party afterward. But to get to the quaint grassy area among the pine trees in the middle of the park, people have to walk past all the tempting food vendors. Whatever your taste is, the Lumberjack Fiesta’s vendors make it. From Kansas City barbeque to the Caribbean, fun favorites like pizza, kettle corn, hot dogs, and hamburgers, to sweet favorites like slushies, smoothies, or cotton candy. For every kind of refreshment one could ask for, one of the 12 food vendors was making it.

And in between events, people sauntered through the 36 vendors of not just the delicious variety of food, but craft booths of all kinds like handmade jewelry, tie-dye clothing, hand-etched mugs, blown glass incent holders, ceramics, leather purses, and so much more. There was also a face painting booth, a hair wrap booth, and other fun crafty “let’s do this while we are here” booths.

Friday evening was the axe throwing clinic for children ages 8 to 13 so they will be prepared to compete for the real lumberjack thing the following day. Let’s just say, it was a grand night of people enjoying the cooler weather and dancing through the evening after enjoying so much to eat.

Saturday started with people lining along Main Street to watch the parade. Then the games and competitions kept everyone busy. There was the Harold Benedict Memorial Horseshoe Tournament, the cornhole tournament, and the Papa Anderson Memorial Softball tournament.

And let’s not forget about the all-popular watermelon eating contest which held a kid and an adult division so no one got left out. And of course, what built this event was the Lumberjack competition. Here is the list of winners:

Malia and Andrew Bytrus-Wyatt competing in the Jack and Jill Bucksaw Lumberjack Competition

Women’s Powder Puff
1st Place: Nikki Bright
2nd Place: Michaela Benedict
3rd Place: Sharon Dalleske

Savannah Henson flies over the logs carrying the cable during the female choker set competition at Lumberjack Fiesta Days taking first place with a time of 23.06

Female Choker Set
1st Place: Savannah Henson with a time of 23.06
2nd Place: Lilianna Henson @ 27.37

Jill and Jill Bucksaw
1st Place: Nikki Bright & Miah Cardin @ 121.39
2nd Place: Savannah Henson & Lilianna Henson @ 224.0

Single Bucksaw
1st Place: Luke West @ 144.05
2nd Place: Jean Broadbent @ 155.64
3rd Place: Nikki Bright @ 200.63

Men’s Axe Throw
1st Place: Jason Hensley
2nd Place: Anthony Noble
3rd Place: Bill Anderson

Men’s Choker Set
1st Place: Kyle Benedict @ 14.44
2nd Place: Ryan West @ 16.31
3rd Place: Sam Matthews @ 20.44

Men’s Double Buck
1st Place: Sam Matthews & Tyler Sheets @ 46.95
2nd Place: Ryan West & Luke West @ 48.22
3rd Place: Caleb Sheets & Kole Dominguez @ 52.14

Business Axe Throw
1st Place: Michaela Benedict
2nd Place: Bill Anderson
3rd Place: Jason Hensley

This is Tyler Sheets-age 21 with Lilly Henson-age 14
In the Jack and Jill saw competition.

Jack and Jill Bucksaw
1st Place: Caleb Sheets & Lilianna Henson @ 56,69
2nd Place: Matthew Dalleske & Sharon Dalleske @ 58.72
3rd Place: Caleb Sheets & Angela Sheets @ 104.59
(2nd and 3rd winners are both mother and son teams)

This is Andrew Wyatt with Black Fox hitting a bullseye.

The Judges: Malou Shannon, Alisha Walker, and Shirley Whitetail all said it was a hard decision, but the winners of the 2024 Little Miss Fiesta and Little Logger are DAKOTA SAVAGE & LUCAS D. MCABIER!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

For more photos of the Lumberjack Fiesta Activities, go to the McCloud Community Recreation Council’s Facebook page.

This year in the Little Miss Fiesta/ Little Logger contest, the 12 contestants, ranging in age from 1 to 7 years, parlayed in their manly lumberjack, and girly fiesta attire in front of the Judges. Here is the list of competitors and the description of their interests:

When she grows up, 6-year-old Leona Zaccaglini wants to be a veterinarian, a teacher, or both.
5-year-old Kyaira Zanni is planning on being a police officer.
6-year-old Emilee Fuller is expecting to become an artist.
6-year-old Summer Gera wants to become a veterinarian.
6-year-old Aurora Davis wants to grow up and become a nurse.
2-year-old Tinnsley Trout wants to become a princess.
2-year-old Elijah Seitzinger is planning on becoming a paleontologist.
7-year-old Walker Bowman, the Little

Logger winner in 2019, plans to be a pilot.

2-year-old Preston Edsall is just awesome according to his parents.
18-month-old Kairi Paterna-Kirchak will be whatever she wants when she grows up.
3-year-old Lucas D. McAbier is thinking of being a heavy equipment operator,
or a doctor, or maybe an engineer.
1-year-old Dakota Savage has not decided what she wants to be when she matures.