Fun comes to Carlton this weekend

Carlton will be filled with fun Friday and Saturday, June 27-28, during the city’s annual summer festival, Carlton Fun Days.

Most activities will be centralized in Ladd Park downtown, next to the swimming pool. The parade will start at 10 a.m. Saturday morning from the elementary school and travel downtown via Third and Main streets.

Carlton Fun Days will open Friday night with two musical groups, Nala Ffejmik at 5:30 p.m. and Audio Flex at 8 p.m. Both play hits from the 1970s and 80s, and Audio Jam also includes current hits.

Saturday morning will start with Shanny’s Run, which honors Shanny Fugere, a Yamhill Carlton High School graduate who was serving her country in the Navy at the time of her death.

An avid runner, Shanny often was seen on the streets of Carlton. Registration starts at 7 a.m. with the run starting at 8 a.m. from the area of the fire hall. The course circles through town on some of her routes.

Proceeds from Shanny’s Run will go to the Shanny Foundation for assisting school activities.

Cost to enter the run is $15 per person, or $35 for a group of four and $5 for each additional person. Students can enter for $10 with school ID. For more information, email shannysrunincarlton@gmail.com.

Saturday morning also will feature the Carlton Fire Department’s pancake breakfast, “Short Stack for a Tall Cause.” Proceeds will go to the nonprofit Carlton Volunteer Firefighter Association.

Breakfast will be served from 7 to 9:30 a.m. in the fire hall. Cost is $10 for those 11 and older, $6 for ages 5 to 10, and free to younger children.

Spectators will line the streets for Saturday’s 10 a.m. parade, which will feature a variety of floats, vintage cars, fire equipment, bicycle riders, equestrians and walkers. An announcer will be posted downtown, but viewing is available all along the route.

Booths will open in the park after the parade.

A beer garden will be set up on the basketball court area of the park. It will be named the Big Larz Beer Garden, in honor of Mike Larson, an avid Fun Days supporter and organizer who died earlier this year.

At noon, children and families can perform karaoke-style on the park stage.

Other music featured Saturday will be Carlton’s own Caden Livingston at 1:30 p.m., with indie folk; Double DT Band at 4 p.m., classic rock; and Audio Flex returning at 7 p.m., classic rock, ‘80s and current hits.

Saturday also will feature a classic car show on Kutch Street.

For more information, go to the Carlton Fun Days Facebook page.