Editing Chehalis, Washington (section)

===Festivals and events===
The city hosts a yearly, June-to-October, Community Farmers Market of Chehalis in its historic downtown on Boistfort Street. First begun in 2005,<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGinnis |first1=Robin |title=Farmers market in Chehalis ends first season |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/farmers-market-in-chehalis-ends-first-season,227676? |access-date=April 4, 2024 |work=The Chronicle |date=October 4, 2005}}</ref> the market is part of a larger Lewis County farmers market initiative.<ref>{{cite web |title=Community Farmers Market of Chehalis |url=https://www.communityfarmlandtrust.org/2021-farmers-market-guide.html |website=communityfarmlandtrust.org |publisher=Community Farm Land Trust |access-date=July 19, 2021}}</ref> It is opened on Tuesday afternoons and as of 2024, is the only such market within a {{convert|20|mi|adj=on}} radius.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Saldanha |first1=Alison |title=Building an oasis in a rural WA 'food desert' |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/building-an-oasis-in-a-washington-rural-food-desert/ |access-date=February 7, 2024 |work=The Seattle Times |date=January 27, 2024}}</ref> Locally grown fruits and vegetables, as well as prepared food and art wares from the area, are often the leading focus of the market.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chronicle Staff |title=Chehalis Farmers Market Kickstarts 17th Season |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/chehalis-farmers-market-kickstarts-17th-season,267087 |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 2, 2021}}</ref> The history of farmers markets in the city date to 1928, when the community began its first public market at the Chehalis municipal auditorium; the market shifted to Boistfort Street later that year due to lack of shoppers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mayor West Announces Place for Public Market |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/chehalis/chehalis-bee-nugget/1928/04-20/page-1 |access-date=July 11, 2024 |work=The Chehalis Bee-Nugget |date=April 20, 1928 |page=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Public Market Will Be On Boistfort Saturday |url=https://www.newspaperarchive.com/us/washington/chehalis/chehalis-bee-nugget/1928/08-10/page-1 |access-date=July 11, 2024 |work=The Chehalis Bee-Nugget |date=August 10, 1928 |page=1}}</ref>

An annual, multi-day "ChehalisFest" is usually held at the end of July. Once titled, "Krazy Days", the early festival included a "saucer drop" of candy and gift-filled cardboard [[flying saucers]] that celebrated the [[1947 flying disc craze]].<ref name="FSPLI">{{cite news |author1=The Chronicle staff |title=Flying Saucer Party Lands in Chehalis |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/flying-saucer-party-lands-in-chehalis,7665? |access-date=August 30, 2023 |work=The Chronicle |date=September 18, 2019}}</ref> The event is hosted by Experience Chehalis (previously the Chehalis Community Renaissance Team),<ref name="CCRT">{{cite news |last1=Warn |first1=Daniel |title=Renaissance Team Changes Name to 'Experience Chehalis' |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/renaissance-team-changes-name-to-experience-chehalis,286319 |access-date=April 18, 2022 |work=The Chronicle |date=March 18, 2022}}</ref> and is centrally located in the historic downtown district but expands to local tourist locations, including the Chehalis-Centralia Airport and Veterans Memorial Museum.  Food, music, child activities, art walks, sidewalk sales, and car shows are often the highlights of the festivities.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Haines |first1=Amanda |title=It's Baaaaack! |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/its-baaaaack,210346? |access-date=August 12, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=June 22, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=Will |title=Expanded Array of Attractions to Headline ChehalisFest |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/expanded-array-of-attractions-to-headline-chehalisfest,8466? |access-date=August 12, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=July 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Vander Stoep |first1=Isabel |title=ChehalisFest to Span Nearly a Full Week |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/chehalisfest-to-span-nearly-a-full-week,269324 |access-date=August 12, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=July 19, 2021}}</ref>

A mid-summer Music in the Park free concert series takes place annually at Recreation Park.  The event is typically held on three consecutive Fridays, with a different performer each evening. Based on local music demographics, country singers and [[cover band]]s often headline the series.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hayes |first1=Katie |title=Free Chehalis Music in the Park Series Boasts All Country Headliners This Year |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/free-chehalis-music-in-the-park-series-boasts-all-country-headliners-this-year,10072? |access-date=July 19, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=April 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Chronicle Staff |title=Organizers Announce Summer 2021 'Music in the Park' Lineup in Chehalis |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/organizers-announce-summer-2021-music-in-the-park-lineup-in-chehalis,268899 |work=The Chronicle |date=July 12, 2021}}</ref>

Chehalis borders the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds, which hosts an annual [[state fair]], usually in August.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Yaw |first1=Claudia |title='Guessing Game': The Southwest Washington Fair Is on for August, but Planning Proves Difficult |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/guessing-game-the-southwest-washington-fair-is-on-for-august-but-planning-proves-difficult,264995? |access-date=June 28, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=May 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Southwest Washington Fair - History |url=https://southwestwashingtonfair.org/general-info/about-us/history/ |website=southwestwashingtonfair.org |access-date=June 28, 2021}}</ref> The Lewis County Fair first took place in the city in 1891 and continued to do so until 1909 when the fairgrounds began hosting the event after the site was constructed.<ref>{{cite news |author1=The Chronicle staff |title=Southwest Washington Fair: A Celebration Dating Back to 1877 |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/southwest-washington-fair-a-celebration-dating-back-to-1877,323533 |access-date=August 14, 2023 |work=The Chronicle |date=August 10, 2023 |quote=Reprint from a 2006 Chronicle article}}</ref>

In commemoration of the [[Kenneth Arnold UFO sighting]] and the city's connection to the event, the downtown district hosts the "Chehalis Flying Saucer Party" which first began in 2019.<ref name="FSPLI"/> The festival revived the Krazy Day's tradition of the "saucer drop"<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sexton |first1=Owen |title=Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest returning this September for Chehalis Flying Saucer Party; entries accepted through August |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/northwest-flying-saucer-film-fest-returning-this-september-for-chehalis-flying-saucer-party,333850 |access-date=February 8, 2024 |work=The Chronicle |date=February 2, 2024}}</ref> and is usually a two-day, September celebration. It includes symposiums, a parade, musical performances, and UFO-themed activities in the city, with several exhibits about the sighting displayed at the Lewis County Historical Museum.<ref>{{cite news |author1=The Chronicle staff |title=Final Speakers for Chehalis Flying Saucer Party Announced, Schedule Released and Tickets on Sale |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/final-speakers-for-chehalis-flying-saucer-party-announced-schedule-released-and-tickets-on-sale,322447 |access-date=August 30, 2023 |work=The Chronicle |date=July 19, 2023}}</ref> In 2023, a [[short film]] competition, the "Northwest Flying Saucer Film Fest", was introduced to the event.<ref>{{cite news |author1=The East Oregonian staff |title=Northwest Flying Saucer Film Festival seeks submissions |url=https://www.eastoregonian.com/community/news/northwest-flying-saucer-film-festival-seeks-submissions/article_daedd1a0-bbc4-11ed-9777-83535a02b36d.html |access-date=August 30, 2023 |work=The East Oregonian (Pendleton, Oregon) |date=March 6, 2023}}</ref>

Chehalis's Santa Parade takes place in early December. A theme is chosen every year and local residents are selected as [[Parade#Parade grand marshals|grand marshals]] as recognition for their community service. The route courses thru the historic downtown district and immediate business core with [[Float (parade)|floats]] and school marching bands the prime spotlight of the event.  Held almost continuously since the 1940s, the parade celebrated 70 years in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fitzgerald |first1=Celene |title=Santa Parade in Downtown Chehalis on Saturday for its 70th Year |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/santa-parade-in-downtown-chehalis-on-saturday-for-its-70th-year,6422? |access-date=November 24, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=December 4, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=The Chronicle Staff |title=Santa Parade Kicks Holidays Into Action This Weekend |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/santa-parade-kicks-holidays-into-action-this-weekend,66638? |access-date=November 24, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=December 3, 2015}}</ref>