La Grande Police Chief Gary Bell grills hot dogs Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, at Celebrate La Grande’s COVID-friendly drive-thru party. The more charred the better, Bell said of his grilling style.

LA GRANDE — The annual celebration of everything that makes La Grande “grand” was the creation of two public officials in 1995.

Then-mayor Di Lyn Larsen-Hill and former police Sgt. Scott Franks wanted to bring neighbors together to celebrate the community that makes La Grande so special, Larsen-Hill said. The community-oriented Celebrate La Grande “end-of-summer block party” is always a mix of fun games and free food.

“It’s a feel-good event,” Larsen-Hill said. “The thing I love the most is walking through the crowd and seeing strangers meeting strangers and becoming friends.”

According to the former mayor, building community was one of the major goals of Celebrate La Grande. Larsen-Hill said she not only wanted neighbors to bond with neighbors, but she also wanted everyone to meet the people working for the city. She thought it was important for public officials to get out into the community, so that people could put faces to the names.

Larsen-Hill also wanted residents to know more about their community and what resources are available. This is why there is a “nonprofit showcase” at the block party, where nonprofit organizations set up booths and provide information.

Another key goal for Larsen-Hill — the event had to be totally free for the public. Celebrate La Grande is supported through sponsors, donations and discounts from businesses and organizations.

Lastly, the celebration needed to include entertainment for children. Hot dogs, ice cream and activities for kids have been staples of the block party since the beginning. La Grande Parks and Recreation now organizes all the kid-friendly fun.

Along with a planning committee, Larsen-Hill and Franks organized Celebrate La Grande for years. Franks stepped back from leadership within the committee around seven years ago, according to Larsen-Hill. A few years later, she started looking for someone to organize the event.

“There are really good, young folks taking over,” Larsen-Hill said.

Dana Wright and Jeff Crews are the new leaders within the planning committee — but neither is a new face to Celebrate La Grande. Both Wright and Crews were involved in the committee under Larsen-Hill.

New location, same celebration

The block party has a new location this year — Riverside Park. The decision to move from downtown La Grande to the park was made for logistic reasons, said Crews. The park provides plenty of shade, a lot of grassy areas for kids to run around and already has a fun playground. The commercial kitchen in the pavilion also means an easier time for food safety and health inspection.

There are a few worries about the location for both the old and new leadership. Crews said he’s worried about the parking situation at Riverside Park, but that Parks and Rec Director Stu Spence has assured him the park can handle around 800 to 1,000 people.

For Larsen-Hill, her apprehension has to do with attendance. Riverside Park isn’t as central of a location as downtown and she worries that not as many people will make it out.

There will not be fire truck rides this year given the tight nature of the roads and parking lot at Riverside Park, something Crews wants to bring back in the future.

A lot of things about Celebrate La Grande will remain the same. According to Crews, the committee is ensuring that certain “Di-isms” remain a staple to the block party, such as her famous sauerkraut. He recommends everyone give it a try, even those who are not normally a fan of pickled cabbage.

Whether you enjoy kraut or not, Crews said, “It’s just great to get people back together.”