1978 Rhododendron Festival queen Ann DeLeo Waters, left, and her sister, 1973 Rhody queen Carlene DeLeo Dahlman, are the self-described “old Rhody queens” who are hosting a fundraiser Friday night at the Wheel-In Motor Movie in Port Townsend. (Diane Urbani de la Paz/Peninsula Daily News)

1978 Rhododendron Festival queen Ann DeLeo Waters, left, and her sister, 1973 Rhody queen Carlene DeLeo Dahlman, are the self-described “old Rhody queens” who are hosting a fundraiser Friday night at the Wheel-In Motor Movie in Port Townsend. (Diane Urbani de la Paz/Peninsula Daily News)

Rhododendron events set for Friday, Saturday

Bingo and a movie, Running of the Balls slated this weekend

PORT TOWNSEND — Here they are, the “two old Rhody queens,” not afraid to say so as they kick off a different kind of Rhododendron Festival weekend.

Ann DeLeo Waters, queen of the Rhododendron Festival in 1978, and her sister, Carlene DeLeo Dahlman, queen of 1973, have dreamed up a fundraiser — “it was a collaboration of both of us talking as fast as we could,” Dahlman said — to celebrate Port Townsend.

It’s a combination bingo night-drive-in movie this Friday at, naturally, the Wheel-In Motor Movie, 210 Theatre Road, with space for 80 carloads of people.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“We’re going to play 10 games of bingo from 6:30 to 8:30, and then the movie’s at 9,” said Dahlman, adding the gate will open at 5:30 p.m. at the Wheel-In, where the concession stand sells food and drink.

The movie? “An Officer and a Gentleman,” of course. The 1982 romantic drama was filmed in Port Townsend, with key scenes at Fort Worden and the Town Tavern, and locals as extras. Two cartoons will be shown first, Dahlman said, to lull children off to sleep before the R-rated “Officer” lights the screen.

Tickets are $50 per carload for the movie plus $10 for a bingo packet; players, who must be 18 or older, will have multiple chances to win $50 cash prizes.

Proceeds from Friday’s event will benefit the Rhododendron Festival Association, which has postponed the fest until summer or early fall.

To reserve tickets, email 2oldRhodyqueens@gmail.com — and do it fast, the sisters say, because spaces are limited at the Wheel-In.

There’s a trophy waiting for the best-decorated car, Waters added, along with other prizes, including gift cards from local merchants.

The 2020-2021 Rhody royalty will appear, she promised: Queen Jenessah Seebergoss of Port Townsend and princesses Hailey Hirschel and Brigitte Palmer of Chimacum will present the prizes to the bingo winners.

This being the third Saturday in May, the traditional Rhody parade date, another event follows on Friday’s heels: The Running of the Balls, a tradition winking at the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. It’s a stampede of golf balls, each of which has been purchased by a Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary Club supporter.

The running will commence at 12:30 p.m. Saturday on Monroe Street near the Lawrence Street corner, where a hopper full of golf balls will be released to tumble down the hill.

At the bottom, a catcher identifies the first three to arrive; first place wins $2,000 for the purchaser, second place wins $500 and third $250.

“It’s kind of silly. No, it’s totally silly,” said Rotarian and organizer Chuck Henry.

But the money raised from selling golf-ball tickets provides serious benefits. The Sunrise Rotary Club buys dictionaries for every third-grader in Jefferson County and supports Port Townsend High School’s Mock Trial and other education programs, Henry noted.

Those who want to find out more about the Running of the Balls — and buy tickets — are invited to visit PTSunriseRotary.org. The event is open to the public, Henry added.

“Golf balls on an asphalt street just go nuts,” he said.

________

Jefferson County senior reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or durbanidelapaz@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in Entertainment

Wynton Marsalis will be the guest at Centrum’s 2025 Benefit Concert and Gala Dinner at Fort Worden.
Tickets available for Centrum benefit concert and gala

Tickets are on sale for Centrum’s benefit concert and… Continue reading

Port Angeles Community Players to host auditions for ‘Clue’

The Port Angeles Community Players will conduct auditions for… Continue reading

Symphony performance on tap this weekend

A symphony performance, stage performances and a screening of the film “Amadeus”… Continue reading

Montreal-Based Les Voix Humaines, composed of Susie Napper and Mélisande Corriveau, will perform at the Salish Sea Early Music Festival on Sunday.
Montreal-based duo to be featured at Early Music Festival

The Port Townsend Salish Sea Early Music Festival will… Continue reading

Orcas Island-based artist and ocean kayaker Shawna Marie Franklin will give a free talk about her art exhibition at Port Townsend’s Jeanette Best Gallery on Sunday.
Artist, kayaker to give free gallery talk

“The bridge! The currents! The excitement! Look where you… Continue reading

The cast of “The Winter’s Tale,” includes, from left, Kat Agudo, Andrew Yabroff, Geoffery Simmons and Gabs Nathanson. The Shakespeare play opens Thursday at Key City Public Theatre in Port Townsend. (Key City Public Theatre)
The time is right for ‘Winter’s Tale’ at Key City

There is a Shakespeare play not everyone knows: a… Continue reading

The Wardens to perform Saturday at Bay Club

The Wardens will present “True Stories Told in Mountain… Continue reading

Singer-songwriter to perform at Concert in the Woods

Shelby Earl will perform at Concerts in the Woods at… Continue reading

Undersea research to be presented at Studium Generale

John R. Teal and Deborah Kelley will present “Undersea… Continue reading

Rachel Sumner and Traveling Light to play at Palindrome

The Rachel Sumner and Traveling Light will perform at… Continue reading

Lisa Lynne and Aryeh Frankfurter will perform “Celtic Harps, Rare Instruments and Wondrous Stories” this weekend during concerts in Port Angeles and Port Townsend.
Multi-instrumentalists to perform on Peninsula this weekend

Lisa Lynne and Aryeh Frankfurter will present “Celtic Harps, Rare Instruments and… Continue reading

‘Amadeus’ to be screened at Field Hall

The Olympic Music Festival will host a screening of… Continue reading