Special Colorama section inside

The 61st Colorama Festival begins Thursday this week.

Highlights of this year's Colorama Festival include the Ridge Rider Rodeo on Friday and Saturday and the new Rainier Amusements Carnival, featuring a ferris wheel, among at least a dozen rides.

And there's a lot of great stuff in between. Helicopter rides will offer thrilling overviews of the area. About 70 vendors will sell crafts and more at North Dam Park, including all kinds of food.

There's a new 5K Color Run on Saturday, and don't forget the big Colorama Parade starting at 11 a.m. down Federal Avenue and the full length of Midway Avenue.

For adults, there's the chamber of commerce's "beer garden" open special hours Thursday, Friday and Saturday at North Dam Park, complete with live bands.

Information on the Colorama Festival is included in a special section in today's Star to help you navigate the different events.

Enjoy Colorama - see you there.