Tour de – bigger than ever – Terrace

Published 7:35 am Friday, February 29, 2008

By Shannon Sessions

and Stephanie Kelley

For the Enterprise

The annual Seafair Tour de Terrace festival again brought a multitude of people from all over the Seattle area to Mountlake Terrace for an experience, consisting of a parade, 5k run, car show, live music, and vendors.

Vendors lined both sides of 224th Street, selling a broad range of items such as ponchos, vests, energy-saving windows, photographic art along with service groups and non-profit agencies.

According to Jerry Smith, the festival’s chairman for 11 years and the Mayor of Mountlake Terrace, the Tour just keeps getting better and “bigger and bigger each year.”

“We had a lot more vendors for food and arts and crafts and the parade was probably double the size as before,” Smith said.

While the arts and crafts vendors like to see the increase of people visiting the festival, some said business for them was slow.

Ron Greene, who runs a booth selling his and his wife’s photo art, said, “My wife and I have been doing photography for more than 10 years, and we really like showing off our art. Photography is really great because you get to capture things that people usually tend to step on or bypass, and moments that will probably never happen again.”

Though this is Ron’s first year of vending, he is unsure as to whether or not he will participate in the future. “The festival has been pretty slow (for us) in terms of making profits. I think most people are here for the food and rides.”

Pat Murphy, who ran a booth selling pillows and vests, agrees. “Carnivals aren’t the best places to sell your crafts. The good thing, though, is that there are big crowds.”

Murphy is not a novice to the Tour de Terrace vending scene. “I ran a booth here a couple years ago, but it poured down rain, causing me to take a break the year after.” she decided to give it another try this year and the sun was out and it was hot.

For Sylvia Strohm of Port Angeles not selling things wasn’t her problem, but instead, she had $60 worth of items stolen from her ceramics booth. Strohm said she has done the Tour for five years and she has never had a problem before and she will do it again.

A couple of other arts and crafts booths had some items stolen or ransacked as well, according to police.

According to Mountlake Terrace police Sgt. Craig McCaul, there were two reports of theft from the Tour de Terrace booths this past weekend.

An intoxicated 18-year-old woman was found to be going through a couple of the closed booths at about 3 a.m. Aug. 1, McCaul said and was in possession of some stolen incense. The owner of the booth was contacted and didn’t want to press charges so the female was cited for minor in consumption of alcohol.

McCaul said the stolen ceramics weren’t found and could’ve been taken by someone else.

“Officers patrol the area really good,” McCaul said and it was lit up, “but it could be anybody who took the ceramics.”

In general, Smith said, the Tour in the past has had very little crime, other than some malicious mischief from some juveniles.

Some had booths that were very productive.

Grace Carlsen-Jones, who has deep roots in Mountlake Terrace and Brier, had a booth set up to raise money to help children who suffer from leukemia.

“My son passed away from leukemia in 2001, so I created a team that raises money to help kids with the disease. We sell raffle tickets and we accept donations,” she said.

That team is called “Chauncey’s Team,” named after her son, and it includes many of his family and friends who have joined together and organized fund raising events to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in his name.

“I’ve never had a booth here before until now, but it’s been really

successful so far. I’m definitely doing it again next year.”

Vending booths weren’t the only attraction at the 2004 Tour de Terrace festival. Adjacent to the booths were a cluster of carnival rides, including a ferris wheel, a fun house, and various other rides and activities. Steve Milone, who runs the Fun-house, said he enjoys his job.

“Last year, I hurt my back, so I had to choose an easy job that doesn’t make you use a whole lot of your body. I really like running this ride.”

To him, the Tour de Terrace has been a big success.

“I liked participating in this carnival. I am probably going to do it next year.”

Stephanie Kelley is a journalism student at Meadowdale High School.

Shannon Sessions is the editor for the Mountlake Terrace/Lynnwood edition of the Enterprise Newspapers.