It’s Roslyn Farmers Market Season!
12 Jun 2015 1 Comment
The Roslyn Farmers Market starts this weekend and will be open every Sunday until September 13th. Be sure to swing by for music, arts and crafts, farm fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, tasty treats, activities and more. This year, the market is shifting a block to the West in order to take better advantage of the new Roslyn Yard. Come for the market and stay for the day, there is plenty of fun to be had in Roslyn!
The Swandive Makes a Splash
04 Jun 2015 Leave a Comment
in Food & Drink, Inside Roslyn Tags: Swandive
For some time, the Swandive Food Truck has been stationed at the edge of the roundabout on the way into Roslyn. But recently, the Swandive moved into town and now shares the property with the Roslyn Coffee Company. This makes it much easier to roll in for a taco when you’re exploring Roslyn on foot. Delicious fish, shrimp and pork tacos are available at the truck, and they are also home to a grilled Owen’s bratworst served on a pioneer role with caramelized onions, pulled pork, and BBQ sauce! Soda is available from the truck, but their close proximity to the Roslyn Coffee Company makes an ice latte or mocha pretty irresistible. Meals are made to order and you can also phone ahead so that your food is ready when you arrive (a perfect way to grab a bite if you’re heading out to play in the woods!)
Saturday Night is Ladies Night!
10 May 2015 Leave a Comment
in Events, Inside Roslyn Tags: Ladies Night, NWIC Building
Gather your girlfriends and come to Roslyn this weekend for Ladies Night. Every third Saturday of the month, from 5pm to 8pm, independent business owners in Roslyn join together to extend shopping hours and host a festive, themed evening. Entertainment, pampering, wine tasting, art exhibits, chocolate, appetizers, and more are waiting for you to enjoy during Ladies Night. Most of the downtown businesses participate in the event, including the merchants inside the NWIC building. Local restaurants and bars also offer dinner and drink specials, late night music, and dancing. There’s no cost to attend and, although it’s called Ladies Night, gentlemen should not feel shy about attending. Participating businesses include Fused Glass Workshop and Gallery, Hope Gallery, Roslyn Rags, Crazy Horse Trading Company, From Roslyn with Love, the Red Bird Café, and more!
Red Bird Café Opens in Roslyn
12 Apr 2015 Leave a Comment
in Food & Drink, Inside Roslyn Tags: Red Bird Cafe, Sandwiches
Hoagie sandwiches, soups, and salads are the main focus of the new Red Bird Café, which recently opened just across the street from the historic NWI building. One look at the menu, and you’ll see that Red Bird is not your typical sandwich shop. The delicious and unique creations include such delights as “The Roslyn Ridge” – which has hummas, cucumber, carrot, radish, red onion, red pepper and “goddess dressing”. The sandwich I enoyed was the deliciously garlic drenched “Bagna Beef” – which is basically a beef Bagna Cuada disguised as a sandwich (and it was fantastic!).  Also on the menu is a “Beet Rueben” that puts a unique spin on a traditional corned beef and kraut rueben by replacing the meat with brined and sliced beets.
The café is a very comfortable spot to enjoy a cup of coffee (Batdorf and Bronson) and a meal. Wifi is available, and the cafe even has a miniature play kitchen for the kids. Stop in between 9am and 6pm, seven days a week. If you are on the go, take out is also available and select sandwiches from Red Bird Café are also available at the Roslyn Grocery across the intersection. Sandwiches will even be made available at Marko’s in case you get the late night munchies.
Cle Elum’s 4th Annual Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt
29 Mar 2015 Leave a Comment
in Events, Nearby Places Tags: Cle Elum, Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt
Easter egg hunts aren’t just for the little ones anymore.  On Saturday, April 4th, kids and adults ages 12 and up are invited to Cle Elum’s 4th Annual Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt. The event kicks off at 6:30pm at the Cle Elum – Roslyn Middle School ball fields, and the hunt will take place just after dark. For $15 dollars per person, participants will have the opportunity to win some great prizes. The lengthy list of prizes includes a week’s accommodations in Mexico, a 50″ Flat Screen TV, a Samsung Galaxy 4 Tablet, a propane fire pit, Seahawk’s jerseys, gift certificates to local restaurants, and more (click here for the full list of prizes). This Saturday, grab your flashlights and bring your friends because the hunt is on!
27th Annual Spittoon Races
07 Mar 2015 Leave a Comment
in Events, Inside Roslyn
The Brick Saloon is well known for its 23 foot long running water spittoon at the foot of the bar. But on Saturday, March 14th, the bar stools are removed and the spittoon will be transformed into a 23 foot river raceway that attracts boating competitors from far and wide. There are four separate race classes, but the most fiercely competitive category is the wooden boat class. The Brick will open at 10am on the 14th for weigh in, and the races will kick off at noon.  Following the races, be sure to stick around for The Brick Nautical Ball. If you enjoy good beer, fun folks, the spirit of competition, and music that gets you dancing – there is no better event to attend than the Spittoon Races and Nautical Ball at the Brick Saloon.
Official Classes and Specifications:
- Class 1: Soap/Wax boats (can’t weigh more than 1 oz.)
- Class 2: Wood boats (can’t weigh more than 1 oz.)
- Class 3: Paper/Plastic boats (can’t weigh more than 1 oz.)
- Class 4: Motor & Experimental boats (can’t weigh more than 1.5 oz.)
All boats may be waterproofed but must not exceed 3†long, 1 ½†wide and 3†in height. There are no mechanical or other means of propulsion allowed except in the “Experimental Classâ€. There is a $10 entry fee per boat in all classes except for wood. The wood category is $5 per boat because it is run in a single elimination format until it gets down to the final four, at which time the races turn to double elimination. All other classes are double elimination from start to finish. For more information, visit the Brick’s website. Highlight videos are also available from the 2011 and 2012 races.
Kittitas Wants to Hear from You!
25 Jan 2015 Leave a Comment
in Events Tags: Visitor Survey
Do you visit or are you planning to visit Kittitas County? If so, Kittitas County wants to hear from you! By taking this brief survey, you will be entered into a drawing to win a $250 gift certificate from the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce.  More importantly, you will be providing valuable information that will influence the tourism programs, services, and facilities in this beautiful county. We appreciate you taking the time to provide your feedback and we look forward to your visit!
Coal Wars Explores the Strikes of 1934
17 Jan 2015 Leave a Comment
in Inside Roslyn Tags: Coal Mine, Coal Wars, Mining
Coal Wars, by David Bullock, is a new book published by WSU Press chronicling the 1934 strikes in the Roslyn-Cle Elum Coal Fields. The clash of interests between competing labor unions, mine owners, and politicians (set against a backdrop of a nation in economic collapse), lead to a situation where “communities were torn apart, friends became enemies, and memories of abuses festered for generations.” David Bullock does a great job detailing the story from many perspectives, providing a balanced account of the events as they unfolded. The author, and grandson of a Roslyn miner, also brings a very human perspective to what it was like to live and work in the heart of the conflict.
The book is currently available for purchase from WSU Press. To learn more about Roslyn’s rich coal mining history, be sure to visit the Roslyn Museum or go for a stroll down the historic Coal Mines Trail.
All Aboard the Roslyn Polar Express
26 Nov 2014 Leave a Comment
in Events, Inside Roslyn Tags: Roslyn Polar Express, Winterfest
The Polar Express is coming to Roslyn to officially ring in the Christmas Season. The weekend kicks off on Friday at 5pm with the wreath and tree lighting on Pennsylvania Avenue. Festivities continue through the weekend with hot cocoa and holiday crafts for the kids in the historic NWI building visitor center. Santa and his friends will also be roaming the town handing out stockings containing special “shop in Roslyn” specials. Avoid the malls and kick off the season in merry, small town, style!
Suncadia Events:
On Friday and Saturday, from 10am to 6pm, The Inn at Suncadia will be hosting a Holiday Crafts and Gifts Show. The show is a winter favorite that features local craftsman, artists, wreaths and trees.  From 10am to 2pm each day, the Suncadia Real Estate Sales Company is sponsoring a winter tour of the Prospectors Reach collection of homes.  Find out more about these events and more in the Suncadia Winterfest Guide.
Hollywood Pays a Visit to Roslyn
04 Oct 2014 Leave a Comment
in Events, Inside Roslyn Tags: Hollywood, Man in the High Castle
This week, Roslyn got another taste of Hollywood when crews came to town to shoot the pilot episodes of an Amazon original mini-series based on the novel, “The Man in the High Castle.” The novel was written by Phillip K. Dick, and is being produced by Ridley Scott. This isn’t the first time Scott has brought a Philip K. Dick novel to the screen. Dick’s novel, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep”, was the basis of the movie “Blade Runner.“ Other movies based on Dick’s writing include Total Recall, The Adjustment Bureau, Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, and Screamers.
“The Man in the High Castle” takes place in 1962, in a world where Germany and Japan were the victors of World War II. Over the last few days, much of downtown Roslyn was transformed into the alternate reality that is depicted in the book. Harper’s Lumber became a gas station and the Roslyn Café (made famous in the Northern Exposure television series) was converted into the Sunrise Diner. Classic cars and trucks were also brought in to fit the period (some of which were owned by Roslyn residents).
Technically, the series is “in development” and the content being produced is in the “pilot” stage, which means there is no guarantee the show will make it to completion. However, the production team includes some accomplished talent and, with Ridley Scott at the helm, chances are good this production will make it across the finish line. More images from the production can be viewed here.
