No doubt about it, The Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse was the place to be this weekend. And if you’re thinking “I don’t need any furniture, thank you very much,” then you haven’t heard all that was scheduled to take place there Friday and Saturday.

First, if you have never seen the musical Forever Plaid (like me) then you’re missing a great show. Friday I attended the first show hosted by the Old Cannery and produced by Ascension Productions. And I ask you, where else but in Sumner can you see a musical in a furniture store. It was all the way back in the “Puyallup” room by the scratch and dent section. I sat behind Mike and Lorraine Carnahan (which was fun because I always enjoy giving Mike a bad time) and after the show was over, he turned to me and said “we’ve got to start calling people and let them know how great this show is and that it’s right in our own back yard. This is my kind of music.”

The word got out and on Saturday night there were more than 150 people there. And you should have seen their faces when Gordy Andersen drove up in his sister-in-law, Julie Andersen’s, bright red 1951 Chevy convertible to drive the cast away from a waving crowd. Truly a Sumner moment. The combination of a local business supporting the arts, the community supporting the show and bringing their pride and joy automobile to add a touch of reality and professionalism….well I’ll say it again, you’ve just gotta love Sumner. It’ll be fun to hear how many attend the show this coming Friday and Saturday as the Cannery hosts the musical for the final weekend.

Add to that a record crowd at the sixth annual Come Walk With Me event which also started at the Old Cannery bright and early on Saturday morning, and you’ve almost got round the clock entertainment downtown just across the bridge. In their usual fun fashion, the folks at the Old Cannery “pinked” up the bridge for the 400 walkers that participated in the downtown walk for breast cancer, Corliss “pinked” up one of their manly trucks, a friendly group of Harley riders donned pastel ribbons supporting the event and I was thoroughly entertained when Rev. Steve Starr “borrowed” my pink feather boa and pink rhinestone glasses to welcome the crowd and give the invocation.

I know I’m not the only person whose life has been impacted by cancer, but it is truly humbling to be part of a community that comes together to remember and join the fight for the cure. In addition to the 400 walkers, we had more than 100 volunteers from the bridge to the Windmill supporting the cause including the football team, cheerleaders and soccer teams. A big pink thank you to the VanDyke family and friends for their passionate support of the event and the cause.

And to Dave, Steve, Chris and Jackie at the Cannery, you guys rock! From the free popcorn at the show to the colorful support of our cancer benefit, your unique partnership with the downtown is a fun example of why folks like to spend some time (and buy furniture) in Sumner.

Shelly Schlumpf is executive director of the Sumner Downtown Association.