Summit Summer Festival returns for one day

Summit resident Earl Newman created this design for the 2023 Summit Summer Festival poster and T-shirt. The logo features a raven in the woods, overlooking the Summit Community Center, with a heart in its beak. Newman said he thinks of the raven as symbolizing adaptability, partnership, guidance and looking forward with love. He said those characteristics represent the foundation blocks of the Summit community, and are necessities for the changing world.

The little Benton County town of Summit will celebrate 44 years of the Summit Summer Festival from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, outside and inside the historic Summit Community Center.

The lively, colorful festival is a full day of old-time country fun and traditions, crafts, arts, friendship, treats, food and music, welcoming all ages to the rural, creative community of Summit, west of Corvallis.

The public is invited to come sit on a bale of hay, sing along to live music, enter a watermelon-eating contest and be part of a world of creative magic. Join the parade, chat it up with neighbors and friends, take a musical adventure, bring home handmade treasures, have fun under summer skies and help support the heart and soul of Summit.

The festival features booths with recycled yard art, toys and plants, hand-turned wooden platters, wrapped jewelry and forged iron work; a homegrown silent auction; an all-ages marching band and parade; the ever-popular cake and pie auction by local bakers; a community quilt and art exhibit inside the center; a massage booth; and the always-sold-out festival T-shirts and sweatshirts. Summit artist Earl Newman produces a design for each year's shirt.

As part of the festival each year, the Summit Star Quilters create a raffle quilt to support youth scholarships given to every graduating high school senior in the community. The quilt will be on view in the community center, and raffle tickets can be purchased there. The quilters have been together since 1972.

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The festival is the major fundraiser for the Summit Community Center, which supports annual scholarships, ongoing community projects and local volunteer groups.

The festival is located in “downtown” Summit. From Corvallis, take Highway 20 west 16 miles to the Blodgett Country Store; turn right (there will be signs) and head up the hill five miles to Summit Street. Look for the colorful flags. The center is fully accessible, thanks to support/proceeds from a previous festival.

Participants are asked to bring their own drinking water. No dogs or alcohol are permitted.

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WATCH: A Saturday stroll through the Benton County Fair & Rodeo on Aug. 5, 2023.