Bigfoot Reigned at a Smokey Bigfoot jamboree

Saturday the park opened with beer booth and other concessions. At noon and it was Kids “Day at the Park with inflatable’s, a water slide obstacle course and bounce house. This fun for the kids was sponsored by Clinic Pharmacy, Karuk TANF, Sheriff Lopey Foundations, Double J & Pizza House and the KTHA, and Siskiyou Telephone. The First 5 had an event for the little ones too, Tots Fun Day for kids 5 and under.

If you were hungry with the festivities, there was Soushee and Fried Rice or India Mack’s Indian Tacos to satisfy your hunger. There were crocheted, leather, jewelry, wood crafts to appreciate. Throwing a baseball seemed to attract a line of contestants. The Ambulance Crew ran the Dime Toss Game. Fire T-Shirts in various sizes and colors were also available. The Happy Camp Chamber had books of local interest available and Dan Sheets shared his carving, not only on wood and elk horn, and glass. A rattlesnake walking stick that had been transformed from a Madrone curly stick found in the forest was amazing. Face painting, toys and fun for the kids demonstrated their amazing energy!!

The part of the day I most enjoyed was the Dancing Toes Youth Recital. After that, music was the theme of the rest of the evening with open Karaoke and then the Saturday Night Dance with The Roadsters.

Saturday the Neighborhood Watch put on the Pancake Breakfast before the parade. The Theme for this year’s Bigfoot Sunday Parade was TV Cartoons of Today and Yesterday. You should have seen the ’41 Ford Coupe that Mattson from Seiad drove! The non float entries were first place Emma Mattson (2017 Junior Princess) second place winner was Jessica Lantow (2017 Junior Queen) and the third place winner was Happy Camp Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Crew. The Coordinating Council gave Congratulations to all of this year’s winners! These awards would not be possible without the generosity and support of the sponsors for which they are very grateful

The afternoon from 2 on was live music by Jimmy Limmo. At 2 pm the Ducky Derby was held and Jerry McGowan was the winner of the $100 prize which he generously donated back to the Bigfoot Jamboree for next year.

George and Casey Chambers were the 2017 Grand Marshals of the Bigfoot Jamboree Parade. George moved to happy Camp with his family when he was in third grade. The family left city life to move to Diamond D Ranch in Happy Camp where his father became the town doctor until 1970, with his wife Alice and six children. George graduated valedictorian of the Happy Camp High School class of 1970 and went to UC Santa Barbara where he met Casey. They moved to Happy Camp as newlyweds in August of 1976 after meeting at college.

In the pamphlet the Happy Camp Coordinating Council wrote up about the Chambers, they said that “Each year various members of their extended family and friends come to Happy Camp to see the Parade and attend the Jamboree. It is a Town Treasure. Not only does it allow everyone to visit and enjoy the company of family and friends, but it gives them a chance to support our community. Happy Camp Clubs, businesses and organizations support our youth and those in need all year long. The Jamboree gives them the opportunity to increase their funds, allowing them to continue giving. Each of us needs to get out there and support all the booths and events. Not only is it fun, the money is put to an important use. George and Casey both support Bigfoot Jamboree and want to see it continue for future generations because it is about connections. Locals gather to not only connect with each other, but with those who return to the area after moving away. Those who lived here and moved away come back to visit their past and remember the unique life they had once lived and maintain the friendships they made.

Smoke deterred many from attending this years Bigfoot Jamboree, but we greatly appreciated the friends and family that we were able to see and visit with! We appreciated the graciousness of the Firefighters, who not only labor intensively in catastrophic conditions, but gave the community a bit of joy in the midst of a difficult time. We are grateful for the Firefighters and their support! We are grateful for Jerry McGowan and his team, the third one here to fight the Eclipse Complex. All three teams have been a blessing! We appreciate the communication and concern primarily for firefighter and community safety and welfare and management of Patty Grantham and JeffMarzan, who is our Ranger but also our friend and neighbor! You have no idea of the scope of the efforts to save the forest and community until you see the little tent town with all necessary services to enable them to work long hours, many times in hot, gruelling conditions! Our thoughts and prayers go to them for their selfless sacrifice and our best wishes for their health and safety!!