Woodinville Basset Bash Canceled, Other Festivities A Go

The hounds will still march in the parade and the children’s activity fair and the arts and crafts show are scheduled, but the Basset Bash is out for the March 26 Woodinville festivities.

“It’s too complicated to explain why it’s canceled,” Gary Greene said. “Chalk it up to red tape. But the Basset Brigade will still be in the parade.”

Greene said the group will try again next year to hold the popular event that can draw as many as 200 hounds from the Puget Sound.

In the past, the children’s fair, the arts and crafts show, the Basset Bash and the cityhood celebration were all held at the at the end of the parade. Last year the Basset Bash was excluded from using the new Woodinville Sports Field because city officials feared the dogs would damage the artificial turf, according to Gary Greene, founder of the Basset Bash. This year the Basset Brigade is heading home after the parade.

The children’s activity fair was almost canceled, when permission to use the Carol Edwards Center came in too late from the Northshore YMCA, according to Catherine Howard, city founder and coordinator of the children’s activity fair. When the city closed the Carol Edwards Center last December and agreed to lease it to the YMCA, no provisions were put in place for the annual festivities surrounding the All Fools' Day Parade. The children’s fair has always been part of the celebration, setting up activities inside the Carol Edwards Center.

Rather than cancel the event, the fair is going to join with the Woodinville Farmers Market’s Arts & Crafts Fair, in the parking lot of the Carol Edwards Center.

“Her commitment is just amazing,” said Michael Charlton, president of the market. “We saw an obstacle and said, OK, let’s get around this, let’s get this done.”

Howard said the YMCA was cooperative and the fair will be back inside the center next year.

“It just all came too soon for them,” she said.

The city, which also used the community center for its anniversary party, has moved its incorporation celebration to DeYoung Park.