Orofino Lumberjack Days: A festival fit for Paul Bunyon

Axe throwing and speed climbing logs aren’t common pastimes today but they’re still practiced and you can see some of their world champions this weekend at Orofino Lumberjack Days.

Competitive timed events include birling, the art of standing and running atop a log in water. An opponent does the same thing at the other end of the slippery 15-foot log. Spinning it as fast as possible they try to throw each other off balance. Two out of three falls decide the match. If no one falls, the contestants move on to a smaller log.

Another event is the World Championship competition for Jack and Jill Bucking where a team of one man and one woman race to saw through a 16-inch log.

Local pride is at a height during the festival because of area ties to logging in North Idaho. The theme of the three day celebration of parades, concessions, games, and contests is “Logging Boots – Our County’s Roots.”

The schedule of events is as follows:

Carnival- Sept. 13-16
Kiddie Parade- Noon Friday
Main Parade- 10 a.m. Saturday
Auction- 12:30 p.m. Saturday
Skidding and Truck Driving – 4 p.m. Saturday
Horse Pull- 6:30 p.m. Saturday
Log Show and Contest- 10 a.m. Sunday