Editing Toledo, Washington (section)

==Arts and culture==
[[File:MtStHelens Mushroom Cloud.jpg|thumb|The [[eruption column]] produced by the [[1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens]] as seen from Toledo, which lies {{convert|35|mi|km|abbr=on}} to the northeast of [[Mount St. Helens]]. The cloud was roughly {{convert|40|mi|km|abbr=on}} wide and {{convert|15|mi|km ft|abbr=on}} high.]]

The residents of Toledo hold an annual "Big Toledo Community Meeting", or known locally as the "Big Meeting", to discuss ideas and plans for future events, to be informed of current projects within the town, and to hear about updates by local community and charitable organizations. The meeting began in 2011 as a way to invigorate the town after a large fire devastated a downtown historic building. Recent festivals and celebrations, such as a Santa Quad Parade and the New Year's Eve Giant Cheese Ball Drop, were developed based on proposals from the meeting.
<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fitzgerald |first1=Emily |title=Toledo Residents Share Updates and New Ideas for Community at Annual 'Big Meeting' |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/toledo-residents-share-updates-and-new-ideas-for-community-at-annual-big-meeting,291397 |access-date=29 July 2022 |work=The Chronicle |date=May 13, 2022}}</ref>

===Festivals and events===
Toledo celebrates the city's dairy farming history by hosting an annual Cheese Days festival, usually held in July. The festival began after the opening of a new cheese processing plant in 1919. A fire in 1945 decimated the factory but the yearly ceremonies continued.<ref name="WTC"/> In 2021, the festival observed the 100th occasion that the event had been held, and it has continued to honor the tradition of providing cheese sandwiches that were first offered at the inaugural Cheese Days celebration.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vander Stoep |first1=Isabel |title=Cheese Days Returns to Toledo for the 100th Time |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/cheese-days-returns-to-toledo-for-the-100th-time,268588 |access-date=July 18, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=July 5, 2021}}</ref><ref name="WTC"/> Since 1985, the festival has a grand marshal, titled as the Big Cheese, bestowed to an older and long-term resident of the community as an honor in recognition for their volunteer efforts.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McDonald Zander |first1=Julie |title=A Brief History of Toledo Cheese Day |url=https://toledolionsclub.org/assets/2019cheesedaysmagazine.pdf |website=toledolionsclub.org |publisher=Toledo Lions Club |access-date=July 19, 2021 |pages=31–35 |date=2019}}</ref>

The Mt. St. Helens Bluegrass Festival is held annually in the city and features performances from [[Bluegrass music|bluegrass]] musicians from around the United States, including [[Appalachia]] and the [[Pacific Northwest]].  The festival is also known for its bluegrass quilting room.  First debuting in 1984, the weekend event is usually held in August.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chronicle Staff |title=Mount St. Helens Bluegrass Festival to Be Held at Park in Toledo |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/mount-st-helens-bluegrass-festival-to-be-held-at-park-in-toledo,269323 |access-date=July 21, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=July 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Washington Bluegrass Music Festival Events |url=https://www.washingtonbluegrassassociation.org/ |website=washingtonbluegrassassociation.org |publisher=Washington Bluegrass Association}}</ref>

===Tourism===
[[Gospodor Monument Park]], a now closed but roadside-attraction park, is near the city and is viewable from [[Interstate 5|I-5]].  The park consists of sculptures on tall plinths and smaller memorials.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gospodor Monument Park |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gospodor-monument-park |website=atlasobscura.com/ |publisher=Atlas Obscura |access-date=July 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Brewer |first1=Christopher |title=Gospodor Monument Will Live on In Toledo |url=https://www.chronline.com/stories/gospodor-monument-will-live-on-in-toledo,77636 |access-date=July 19, 2021 |work=The Chronicle |date=January 9, 2015}}</ref>