Four-day event features a variety of activities, including bed races, fireworks, and the annual parade, celebrating Woodland’s rich history and community unity
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
WOODLAND — Just moments after receiving her crown Thursday night, Nora Taylor, 2024 Miss Woodland, made her first proclamation:
“I, Queen Nora, do hereby proclaim that the 2024 Planters Days activities have officially begun.”
Planters Days is the longest continuously running civic celebration in the state. It started in 1922.
This year’s event kicked off Thursday and runs through Sunday. There are plenty of activities each day, with Saturday being the biggest draw. On Saturday, there will be frog jumping, bed races, and of course, the annual parade.
The carnival, including several rides, opened Thursday. A kids parade and then a pet parade were scheduled, too. Fireworks above Horseshoe Lake were scheduled for later Thursday night.
“It is so uniting to the community,” Taylor said of Planters Days. “It is incredible how close a group of people can become this time of year.”
She loves this year’s motto: All Together Now.
“It just makes me think of Woodland,” Taylor said. “Because that’s what we are. We’re all together.”
Princess Alexis Alplanalp and Princess Savannah Doughty are also on the Woodland royal court for Planters Days.
Alplanalp moved to Woodland from Las Vegas just last year.
“Immediately after I moved here, I felt Woodland was a fit for me,” she said, noting how welcoming the city was to her.
Prior to the coronation, Erin Thoeny, the 2023 Citizen of the Year, gave a history lesson on Woodland, with a salute to Adolphus Lee Lewis, who built a home near a river’s mouth. That river is now called Lewis River. Thoeny noted that many people believe the river was named after Meriweather Lewis of Lewis and Clark fame, but instead it is named for Adolphus Lee Lewis.
Woodland Mayor Todd Dinehart also had a proclamation for Planters Days, as well, noting that this event started as a community festival in celebration of the dike being built in 1921 to protect the city from flooding.
There are dozens of events scheduled from Friday through Sunday.
Saturday’s parade will begin at 11 a.m.
The annual frog jump is at 1:30 p.m. This is the 57th year of that event.
And the bed race competition, now in its 20th year, is at 4 p.m.
For a full list, go to the Planters Days website: https://www.planters-days.com/planters-day-events
Also read:
- He Is Risen: An Easter Message from Clark County Today
Families and congregations throughout Clark County observe Easter in unique ways, highlighting moments of renewal and togetherness for the community. - White House govt. Funding request for 2027 cuts $73 billion
President Trump’s budget seeks to boost defense funding while cutting $73 billion from agencies like the EPA, NASA, and Agriculture, prompting sharp criticism from Democratic leaders. - Heywood asks WA Supreme Court to allow referendum effort on income tax
Brian Heywood is petitioning the state Supreme Court after the Secretary of State rejected a referendum to repeal Washington’s new 9.9% tax on income over $1 million. - Opinion: Half the road, full stop – Understanding pedestrian right-of-way
Doug Dahl explains how Washington’s law requires drivers to stop when a pedestrian is within one lane of their half of the road, not just when directly in front. - Clark County seeks volunteer for Law and Justice Council
Applicants with experience in mental health services are encouraged to help guide Clark County’s coordination of local criminal justice and corrections planning. - VIDEO: Families at center of WA transgender sports debate face-to-face with OSPI
Two Washington high school students and their parents met with Superintendent Chris Reykdal to discuss concerns about sports policies after one student faced an investigation for harassment. - As Washington lawmakers punt on school cellphone ban, some want more action
At Robert Eagle Staff Middle School, all-day phone removal led to fewer conflicts and more student engagement, but some parents and lawmakers argue a ban should not be imposed statewide.
