Mason County Forest Festival begins today

The first Mason County Forest Festival was staged in May 1945 to celebrate timber and the future of second growth, the same month World War II ended.

Thousands of locals and tourists will descend on Shelton starting today for the 79th annual festival, which continues through Sunday. "Tall Timbers" is this year's theme.

The festival kicks off at noon today with the carnival at the corner of First and Grove streets, and continues through Sunday. Saturday's lineup includes the Goldsborough Creek Run/Walk/Job beginning at 6:30 a.m., and the Firefighters Pancake Breakfast served from 7 to 11 a.m. at Central Mason Fire and EMS station at 122 W. Franklin St. The Family and Pet Parade begins at 10:30 a.m. at the intersection of Seventh Street and West Railroad Avenue in downtown Shelton, followed immediately by the Paul Bunyan Grand Parade that begins at 11 a.m. The logging show begins at 1 p.m. at Loop Field.

On Saturday, the Rockin' the Forest concert is staged beginning at 5 p.m. at the Our Community Credit Union office at 2948 Olympic Highway North in Mountain View. The fireworks show begins about 10 p.m. at Oakland Bay Junior High School.

The festival culminates Sunday with the Shelton Car Show-Off from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Olympic Highway North, and the Kiwanis Duck Race at 2 p.m. on Goldsborough Creek.

For more information, go to http://www.masoncountyforestfestival.com.