BASIN CITY, Wa. — As the Mid-Columbia woke up Friday morning to a new phase in stay-home orders after more than three months, hundreds of people headed to a Basin City park for a two-day rodeo event.
Participants, spectators and vendors celebrated their independence at the Basin City 4th of July Parade and Freedom Rodeo.
Pictures shared on Facebook by both organizers and attendees show few people wearing face masks or practicing social distancing to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.
Social media posts show a handful of Washington state and local political candidates also participated, like: Dr. Raul Garcia for governor; nurse practitioner Sarena Sloot for the 4th Congressional District; Dave Petersen for Benton-Franklin Superior Court; Donnie Landsman for Benton County Commission, District 1; Terry Cissne for Franklin County Commission; and Casey Cochrane for Franklin PUD.
Sheriff Jim Raymond also was seen in pictures blocking traffic for the parade and cheering on the participants.
While Franklin and Benton counties finally advanced to a modified Phase 1.5 of Gov. Jay Inslee's business reopening plan, gatherings of nonhousehold groups remain prohibited. The only exception is counseling or other behavioral health groups of five or fewer.
Inslee agreed to open up the counties if public officials encouraged people to keep safe.
Event organizer Clay Berry, responding Sunday to a critic on Facebook who questioned why law enforcement of health department officials didn't shut it down, pointed out that Inslee has said protests are legal in these times.
"That's exactly what it was, a cowboy style peaceful protest," she wrote.
Organizers had spent the past month at Basin City Memorial Park leveling the rodeo grounds, installing bleachers and putting in grass in the town about a half hour north of Pasco in Franklin County.
That arena had not been used in almost 40 years, retired bullfighter Rowdy Barry said before the event.
Calls for annual event
In addition to the rodeo slack competitions and performances on Friday and Saturday, there was a dance both nights and a parade and firework show on the holiday.
The parade, which passed crowds of people in town, included everything from quadrunners and horses to large farm equipment and semi trucks.
Many people took to the Facebook event page Sunday to share their appreciation for the organizers and participants, and express their hope that the rodeo becomes an annual tradition.
"Thank you for putting on an incredible weekend," wrote Ann-Erica Whitemarsh, founder of Rascal Rodeo. "I think I can speak for more than just my son and I, that we needed this."
"We needed this for a mental health boost, we needed this to see old friends and meet new, we needed this to remind us how great our country is," she continued. "We needed the reminder of who the American people are and stand for. Thank you for standing up and pouring yourselves into this event."
