Colorama buttons, parade, helicopter coming

The Colorama Festival Button for this year's celebration goes on sale this week.

Buy a button for $3, help support Colorama, and you're in the mix to win one of the many prizes attached to the buttons.

All the buttons are numbered and the drawing for the prizes will be held at 1 p.m. at North Dam Park, after the Colorama parade.

Buttons are available for sale at a host of locations throughout the Grand Coulee area.

Another popular feature of this year's celebration will be the helicopter rides.

White Rabbit Heli Tours, out of Spokane, will provide rides on three days during Colorama.

Friday, May 11, the helicopter will fly from 1-8; Saturday, May 12, you can get a ride from 10-8; and Sunday, May 13, the rides will be available from 10-2.

Rides are $50, and will take off from the lower athletic field.

This is White Rabbit's first year at the festival.

There's still plenty of time to get your entry in Colorama's grand parade. The parade element will form on Spokane Way near Les Schwab Tires. Judging of entries will begin at 9:30 a.m., with the parade starting up at 11.

Tammy Norris again is parade chairman, and assisted by Lake Roosevelt High School senior Alan Nordine.

You can make an entry in the parade, and it doesn't cost anything, by going to the chamber of commerce website at grandcouleedam.org. Click on the big Colorama graphic to find more information and register.

And If you're thinking about entering the Color Run, the sooner the better. Organizers need to order T-shirts.