Pioneer Village Festival returns to Cashmere Oct. 3–4

CASHMERE — The Cashmere Museum & Pioneer Village will throw open the gates for its annual Pioneer Village Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 600 Cotlets Way, inviting families to wander through historic cabins, meet costumed volunteers, and spend a fall afternoon steeped in the stories that shaped this valley.

Set along the Wenatchee River in a town once known as Mission, Cashmere wears its history on its sleeve. The museum’s cluster of frontier-era buildings and artifacts preserve that early chapter — homesteaders, irrigation, orchards — while the address itself nods to the modern era: Cotlets Way, a reminder of the Aplets & Cotlets tradition that helped put Cashmere on the map. The festival stitches those threads together in one lively day, with heritage demonstrations, kid-friendly activities, music, local vendors, and plenty of chances to step inside the region’s past. Festival admission includes access to both the museum galleries and Pioneer Village; updated schedules and stage times will be posted on the museum’s website and social channels as the weekend approaches.

Harvest season also means pie, and the museum’s yearly Apple/Pear Pie Contest returns as a centerpiece of the weekend. Bakers can enter in Adult (18+) or Youth (17 & under) divisions, with cash prizes up for grabs. Drop-off is Friday, Oct. 3, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Cashmere Museum. Winners will be announced during Saturday’s festival. If you’re entering the contest, label your pie with your name and division at drop-off; winners will be recognized on the festival stage Saturday afternoon.

What keeps the Pioneer Village Festival distinct from a standard street fair is the setting and the spirit behind it. The cabins, moved and preserved from around the upper valley, aren’t just backdrops; they’re teaching tools. Longtime volunteers tell the stories of families who farmed, logged, cooked, and built here, and of a community that changed names, grew orchards, and welcomed wave after wave of newcomers who still call this place home. It’s the same neighborly ethic that shows up in today’s service clubs, school fundraisers, and museum work parties: People pitching in because Cashmere is worth tending.

Whether you’re packing a stroller, corralling teens, or meeting friends for an easy Saturday in town, the festival offers a familiar small-town rhythm — unhurried loops past the cabins, a stop for lunch, a chat with someone you haven’t seen since last fall, and maybe a slice of blue-ribbon pie if you time it right. It’s a celebration of where Cashmere has been and what it continues to be: A close-knit river town with deep roots and a knack for making visitors feel like locals.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media