23 years makes a tradition of Koulee Kids Fest

Kids and parents spent a fun and possibly exhausting, in a good way, day Saturday as local businesses rallied to provide lots to do the day before Father's Day.

Led by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, they've been doling out that fun at the Koulee Kids Fest apparently since 2004.

It's not all altruism. The initial thought back then was that such an event would encourage people to step into local businesses, look around a little and maybe come back. In the meantime, families would benefit just by having a good time together.

Julia Rodriguez Treu Fowler was taking Lorenzo and Estella around to as many activities as they could get to. It's an annual thing for them, just before they head to Pullman to visit her dad each year for Father's Day.

They had 15 of 20 possible stops on their chamber-issued "passport" stamped. Planting flower seeds at Coulee Hardware, breaking open geodes at the Senior Center, decorating cookies at Voltage. But only after a start at the library for a button from her National Park Service friends.

"And then we're walking the whole city, and we got sandwiches and a coffee, and you know, still helping the local businesses, as well. So yeah, it's a blast," she said.

"What's kept me, probably, in this community for almost 10 years now is just all these awesome activities that are really good for the kids ... from the school system to ... library projects to [what] was the SHARP Kids after school ... which was amazing," she said. "We're pretty lucky to live in this little patch of paradise."

The Miller family won the big prize at the end of the day: a Kids Adventure Pack sponsored by a generous community member, plus a Pontoon Boat Rental, sponsored by Reel Recreation.

Sounds like more family fun in a little patch of paradise.