There will be plenty to see, hear and do during Covington Days

As Covington Days approaches, the outlook for the festival looks brighter.

July 21, 2008 8:45 pm
Booths such as this one for Fire District 37 at last year’s festival will be part of Covington Days this weekend.
Booths such as this one for Fire District 37 at last year’s festival will be part of Covington Days this weekend.

As Covington Days approaches, the outlook for the festival looks brighter.

Judy Swanberg, one of the leaders of the festival committee, said that thanks to word of mouth and plenty of publicity, the parade is looking to be quite successful this year.

“We now have several more entries for the parade. Yay!” said Swanberg, a member of Covington Lions Club, which is in its third year of organizing the time-honored annual community celebration that takes place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Bringing back the parade is a significant accomplishment, as well as pulling together the entire festival. Organizers have passed out four-page fliers throughout the community in the past month to get out the word.

Familiar activities, including the return of the parade on Saturday morning after a one-year hiatus due to funding problems, will be on the agenda, according to Swanberg, who has been co-chairwoman of the Covington Days Festival Committee for the Lions since the organization took over in 2006.

Also planned is a quilt show during the entire festival at Cedar Heights Middle School, as well as an art show in the Atrium of MultiCare clinic.

The quilt show will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the first two days and until 4 on Sunday. Organizers said more than 200 quilts will be on display. Quilters from three states will demonstrate quilting and have wares for sale.

Proceeds from the show (a $4 donation for admission will be asked; kids under 12 will get in free) will benefit Covington Quilters Guild’s outreach program.

The art show is hosted by the city of Covington’s Arts Commission.

A 5K run and walk before the parade on Saturday also is planned. And there will be bands, booths and vendors on the lawn at MultiCare throughout the weekend.

The main events will take place at MultiCare at the intersection of Southeast 272nd Street and Wax Road Southeast.

Activities start at 5 p.m. on Friday with food, arts, crafts and commercial vendor booths. At 7 p.m., there will be a barbecue at Covington Christian Fellowship, followed by a performance at 9 of the Matsiko Children’s Choir and fireworks at 10.

Saturday is the biggest day of the festival, with booths open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., a Rotary Club of Covington pancake feed from 8 a.m. to noon, the run and walk at 9 a.m., the parade at 11 a.m., the Arts Commission’s sidewalk chalk art event at 1 p.m. in front of the Wal-Mart store, and entertainment from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In addition, the city will host its second annual community picnic at noon on Sunday as part of its ongoing effort to connect with residents. About $1,000 in city funds has been approved for spending on the picnic.

The city’s financial support of the festival includes paying $7,500 specifically to support costs related to the parade, including pay for Covington Police and King County Sheriff Department deputies and public works staff overtime. Officials said this will ensure that the parade will be safe and that the roads staff are available to close Southeast 272nd Street from State Route 18 east to Southeast Wax Road and from there north to Southeast 267th Place.

More information about the festival is available at www.covingtondaysfestival.com or (425) 432-9140.