Rosalia Battle Days on tap

ROSALIA — The annual Battle Days celebration will highlight the community’s 150th birthday Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5.

The event — a tradition that started in 1970 — commemorate the 1858 Battle of Pine Creek.

Battle Days marks the victory of the Coeur d’Alene, Palouse and Spokane Indians over U.S. Army forces near the current townsite. The victory was short-lived, however, as the Army dispatch more troops and crushed tribal warriors at the Battle of Four Lakes just outside Cheney, opening the door for settlers, miners and others.

This year’s celebration also commemorates the town’s 150th birthday.

There will be an “all-class” reunion, a scout breakfast, parade, plant sale, a drawing, rodeo events and much more.

From 7-10 a.m. Saturday, June 4, local scouts will host a breakfast the Fire Station.

As breakfast gets underway, check-in also opens for the annual fun run; racetime is at 8 a.m.

At 10:30 a.m., there will be the annual Kids Parade, followed by the Battle Days parade at 11 a.m.

Patricia Voge of Rosalia/Thornton has been selected as this year’s parade grand marshal.

Voge’s parents Gladys Maley and John Holmes came to the are in the late 1800s.

Voge grew up doing farm chores and later earned a teaching degree at Eastern Washington College, attended Washington State University and earned a master’s degree from Gonzaga University.

In addition to Voge and other parade entries, the town of Malden will be submitting “welcome back” floats this year.

The John Wayne Pioneer Wagons and Riders are also expected to arrive on time to join the parade.

After the parade, a catered lunch begins at noon for former Rosalia students to gather with old classmates and share memories in the school’s old gymnasium.

There is a cost for lunch.

All-class reunion activities will be in the new gym, with Randy Wiggins as master of ceremonies.

Other activities include an art show, museum tours, local vendors and food booths.

There will be pickleball and family games downtown and in the city park.

Local resident Mike Day will man the drawing booth, a fund-raiser for to help provide items for local families in need.

There will also be a Garden Club plant sale, a drawing/raffle, a firefighter dunk tank, a history booth, the Kid’s Run, rodeo events and barrel racing.