Dayton Days Rodeo around the corner Memorial Day Weekend

DAYTON–Hitch up the buckboard, pardner, and giddy up into town for the 2022 Dayton Days-Columbia County Fair Jackpot Rodeo, Friday and Saturday, May 27 and 28.

Two days of exciting rodeo action are planned for the community's enjoyment, the first evening's events kicking off at 6 p.m. Friday, with Saturday's action getting under way at 4 p.m. at the Columbia County Fairgrounds, 101 Fairgrounds Lane.

Dayton Days, the community's long-time organization which put on the annual horse-racing weekend, is teaming up with the Columbia County Fair Association to put on the two-day rodeo.

"It should be a good rodeo," said Stock Contractor Tucker Cool of Bar X Ranches, LLC. "Entries have been real solid. Right now, with early entries, we're about two thirds full with a couple weeks of sign-ups to go."

Remember that Dayton will be all spiffed up for Saturday's Dayton Days Parade, courtesy of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce. The parade starts down Main Street at 10 a.m. May 28 so c'mon to town, line the sidewalks and don't miss it.

Rodeo fans will get to see plenty of bull riding and bronco bustin', and this year there will be no mask requirements or distancing restrictions in the grandstands.

If you're dry, stop by the beer garden for a cold one, thanks to Oregon Beverage.

On Saturday, once the dust has settled in the rodeo arena, rodeo-goers may stick around to listen and dance to the country/rock band Jojo's Mojo, with lead singer and guitar player JoAnne Mohrland. "I'm really just a country girl at heart," she says. The music and good times from her four-piece ensemble start at 7 and goes until 10 p.m.

Rodeo cowboys have been impatiently biding their time through the years of the pandemic and are ready to show their stuff in the rodeo arena. And show it they will, in events such as ranch bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing, chute doggin', team roping, breakaway roping, bareback and saddle bronc events. For junior cowboys 14 and under, there'll be steer riding and barrel racing.

Local service clubs and vendors will be on hand for food and shopping, and if you want to give bull riding a shot, a mechanical bull will give you that chance, with a soft landing guaranteed. The Dayton Kiwanis Club, Dayton Lions Club and ML Express will be on hand with food booths open. If you're in the market for something cool to purchase, several vendors will be on hand, offering metal art, country chic, leatherwork, gems and more.

Dayton Days is sponsored by Columbia County Health System, Columbia REA, Dayton Chronicle, Valley Wide Cooperative, Banner Bank, Elk Drug, Northwest Grain Growers, Papé Machinery, Puget Sound Energy, Van Ausdle Tire, Walla Walla CDJR, Bank of Eastern Washington, City Lumber & Coal, Don Johnson Trailer Sales, Jones Truck & Implement, Neace Farms, Avren Childers State Farm Insurance, Walla Walla Electric, Broughton Land Company, and Wildhorse Casino and Resort.