A pioneer encampment is featured during Saturday and Sunday´s Pioneer Days in Shaniko.

One of Oregon’s sleepy ghost towns wakes up this weekend as Shaniko celebrates Pioneer Days.

Located about 60 miles south of Biggs on Highway 97, the small town celebrates the pioneering spirit of those who came to live off the land and those who built a town. The event is complete with a scavenger hunt for the kids, so they also can appreciate the lifestyle of the past.

Pioneer Days runs Saturday and Sunday. Visitors are encouraged to come for the day, or stay the weekend. RV parking and camping is always free along the streets of Shaniko. Lodging accommodations are available in Maupin, about 34 miles northwest of Shaniko or Madras, which is about 38 miles southwest.

The free event includes gun fight reenactments, modern day pioneering, spinning and lots of information. And you won’t want to miss the new Toy and Game Museum at the school house. Vendors are encouraged and welcome. Breakfast is available both days by the Shaniko Chamber of Commerce, lunch can be purchased from various vendors and a barbecue, campfire and music are planned Saturday evening.

A few of the activities and offerings provide a glimpse into the past, such as coal-forge blacksmithing and kids’ games. However the real focus is on Shaniko’s pioneers who left their mark.

Intertwined in the murals depicting Shaniko’s history are those men and women that made the town what it was then or preserved it to what still exists today. The murals introduce Ed Martin and the William Rees family, as well as new ones featuring the Moody, Fowlie and Farrell families.

Shaniko is about 140 miles from Hermiston. To get to there, drive on Interstate 84 and take Exit 104 at Biggs Junction, then continue south on Highway 97 for about 55 miles. Locals highly recommend fueling up at Biggs, as Shaniko doesn’t have a gas station.

For more information, go to www.shanikooregon.com, search Facebook for “Shaniko Pioneer Days,” or call 541-489-3434.

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Contact Community Editor Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4539