Fun, sun and food brighten Sammamish Days
Published 1:29 pm Friday, August 15, 2014
By Abigail Student
Special to the Reporter
Whether it was the work of great weather, live entertainment, activities, food or available parking, this year’s Sammamish Days on Aug. 9had a remarkable turnout in comparison to years past.
Sammamish Recreation Supervisor Joanna Martin estimated that between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the Sammamish City Commons hosted over 1,000 attendees.
Event coordinators upped the ante this year by adding three new kid-friendly activities to the festival, including bouncing toys, face painting and animal balloon making. Parents were encouraged to bring their children for the day and all children’s activities were free.
However, there was no shortage of adult fun either.
The festival held several booths representing local businesses and other organizations within the greater Sammamish area. Adults were welcome to pack their own lunch to enjoy the picnic atmosphere, but many opted for a treat from the four food carts available. The carts offered everything from Middle Eastern cuisine to summer favorites like sandwiches and shaved ice.
Families were welcome to dine at the tables provided or sit in the grass to enjoy the live entertainment. There were nine performances over the course of the day. Most were group routines such as The Not-Its! and the From Within Nucleus Bharatanatyam dancers.
Although Martin was ecstatic that so many attended, she identified a more specific highlight for her experience.
“I was pleased to see the number of families that attended and even more excited to see such a diverse group of families,” Martin said.
Pleased is not to be confused with complacent either; Martin and her team look forward to making even more “tweaks” to improve the event for next year.
“I think we really hit our stride this year.” Martin continued, “We’re really excited to go into things next year with a more developed idea of what works.”
Abigail Student is a student at Washington State University.
