A Short Run, and a Weekend of Fun

by Jeff McDonald, for The Bulletin Special Projects

If you had to pick one weekend to check out in Redmond this summer, it might be the third weekend in August.

Not only will thousands of RV enthusiasts be attending the Family Motor Coach Association’s rally at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center, two big events will rock Redmond’s downtown.

One is the Rockchuck Ramble. Now in its 11th year, the race is billed as “Oregon’s shortest fun run” by founder Joe Lochner of State Farm Insurance.

“The race is 327 yards because after that, it’s not fun anymore,” Lochner said.

Named after the yellow-bellied marmot, everything about the race is geared toward goofy fun, Redmond-style, according to Lochner.

Prizes are given out for several categories, including best costume, oldest and youngest participants, furthest distance travelled to participate and best participating business, he said.

The race starts at 2:07 p.m. on Saturday because “if you’re within seven minutes of the top of the hour in Central Oregon, you’re right on time,” Lochner said. The whole event takes about an hour to complete, he said.

While short on distance, the Ramble is long on traditions, including people bringing their pets to compete in the race. Others have done the race Cleopatra-style, adorned in classical garments and carried from start to finish.

The Ramble will be part of the Redmond Street Festival, a two-day, five-block party stretching down Sixth Street between Forest and Black Butte avenues.

Now in its second year, the event will increase from 45 to 70 vendors and take up a larger area than in its first year, said Richard Esterman, a Sisters photographer who has spent about a year organizing the event.

“We will be running booths down the center of the street and getting businesses to have a sidewalk sale and get involved,” Esterman said. “It’s a win for all of us.”

Attendees at the two-day event, starting at 10 a.m. both Saturday, Aug. 16 and Sunday, Aug. 17, can expect a wide variety of arts and crafts, antiques, food, music and entertainment. There will be a “Kids Zone” for the youngsters and plans are in the works for a brew fest, Esterman said. Businesses also will have a section where they can do their own booths and promote themselves, he said.

For more information, email centraloregonshows@gmail.com or visit www.centraloregonshows.com.