One big day in a small town!

MITCHELL, OR - The Painted Hills Festival kicks off Labor Day Weekend every year and we encourage you to head to Mitchell, OR this August 31st for a variety of activities for young and old.

In its 28th year, the annual Painted Hills Festival in Mitchell will offer several acts on stage, a half marathon, 10K and 5K fun-runs, a grand parade, quilt show, craft vendors, food booths, old-fashioned kids' games, and the one-of-a kind Water Trough Races. The festival, hosted in downtown Mitchell (48 miles east of Prineville on Highway 26) celebrates the majestic beauty of one of Oregon's 7 wonders, the Painted Hills National Monument.

The day begins at 7:00 a.m. with the Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K shuttle bus leaving the high school gym. Half Marathon runners begin their journey over rugged back country roads. 10K and 5K runs stagger start as the shuttle bus moves closer to town. Registration for the run can be done online at paintedhillshalf.com which includes a discounted rate for Wheeler County residents and an opportunity to purchase a race t-shirt as well.

Festivities, music and fun start as runners make their way to the finish line in the heart of downtown Mitchell. There will be a host of entertainment including a world-class Tahitian Fire Dancer, new music with James Lawrence Andrews, local Fossil artist Dan Robinson plays country, the Vargas Family Traditional Mexican dancers, music act Betty & the Barristers, an annual pie auction, and more.

The Grand Parade begins at 11:30 a.m. honoring longtime citizens Jim & Betty Woodward as Grand Marshals this year. Mitchell High School golden grad classes of 1974 will also return home with a float in the parade as well. You can count on horses, classic cars, folks in costume, kids on bikes, motorcycles, CANDY (lots of it), and other creative entries. Parents, don't forget the free face painting and Bouncy House!

New this year is a swing dancing class with Emily Gazin just before the street dance begins. You'll get your chance to learn a move or two and then test it out at the dance! Chad Halligan will all make an impression with his piano skills near the dinner hour near Tiger Town Brewing.

A quilt show fills the upstairs of the Mitchell Community Center on Nelson Street boasting an impressive collection that this community can certainly be proud of from local seamstresses. In the early evening the road is cleared for the annual Water Trough Races, an unorthodox gravity powered race where contestants must create a rolling water trough with steering and brakes, for a low-speed race down Main Street. A street dance starts at 8:00 p.m. in front of the brewery so plan for a fun-filled day and night!

More details about the free, family friendly event can be found on Facebook.