<p>Rich Rautenstrauch/Chieftain Ron Osterloh and his Flashback Photography, shown in last year's race, will be in a grudge match with Sam Summers during the 2013 Bowlby Derby finale Saturday afternoon.</p>

ENTERPRISE – The community of Enterprise will once again celebrate its history and heritage during the fourth annual Bowlby Bash: A Street Fair, which will see Main Street turned into a pedestrian esplanade filled with booths and activities.

The Bowlby Bash – named for Enterprise’s many historic buildings made of locally-quarried Bowlby stone – is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 13. Activities will begin with an opening ceremony at the Fountain of Honor, conducted by VFW Post 4307, at 10 a.m. in front of the Wallowa County Courthouse.

The exciting Bowlby Bash Derby will begin with a “show ‘n’ shine” at 10 a.m. for everyone to admire all the hand-built soapbox jalopies along the street north of the courthouse gazebo. There will be a parade of all entries at noon, with the race scheduled to start at 1 p.m. This year the derby will be dedicated to all veterans and military personnel to honor their service to the country.

With Main Street closed to automobile traffic, Bowlby Bash-goers are encouraged to stroll the downtown district to enjoy sidewalk shopping, many vendors, exhibitors, artisans and artists. Approximately 40 booths are expected to set up shop for the family-friendly celebration bash.

Food booths and local restaurants will be ready to feed everyone taking part in the celebration.

History tours of Enterprise, with a special eye to the historic Bowlby buildings, conducted by Morgan Green, and a tour of the courthouse itself, conducted by Everett Roberts, are planned as part of the celebration.

Activities for children and families, sponsored by the local non-profit organization Building Healthy Families, will include such things as sidewalk chalk art, bubble wands, and other hands-on fun.

Live music will add to the street fair atmosphere, and several local musicians will be performing throughout the day. Those on the schedule to perform are Simon Tucker, Rich Shirley and Danny Lawson, Jesse Bird with Seth and Darrell Brann.

Added events include a silent auction at the Odd Fellows Hall (next to the library) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., sponsored by the Soroptimists to raise money for the Meals on Wheels program, and a special book sale from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Enterprise Public Library, in the historic Carnegie building.

Anyone who would like to get an early look at any of the derbies is invited to the final safety inspection and time trials Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Enterprise High School ag shop on upper Main Street, the staging site for the Bowlby derby.

“We’re hoping for 18 (racers) this year,” said derby organizer Ron Osterloh, himself the maker and driver of a winning speedster, noting that car-makers seem to get more creative every year. One new twist to the race will be the formal running of “grudge matches” between cars as the finale of the derby. The matches are challenges between rivals.

Ostererloh himself has been challenged by Sam Summers, and another grudge race will be between the Range Rider and Lear’s Main Street Pub and Grill.

The Bowlby Bash: A Street Fair in Historic Enterprise was born as an event in July 2009, when the city of Enterprise celebrated the Triple Birthday Bash, in honor of the 150th anniversary of Oregon statehood, the 100th birthday of the courthouse and the 120th anniversary birthday of the incorporation of the city of Enterprise.

The motto for the triple bash was, “This is the start of something big,” and a committee of organizers has carried on that idea.

“We want to grow the Bowlby Bash, and would like to see it become a homecoming event,” said Sondra Lozier, one of the organizers.

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