Thanks to Encompass Northwest, children will have a large event all to themselves during Railroad Days, Aug. 18 to 20.

The Snoqualmie Depot grounds will be open for kids all weekend as Encompass hosts the Kids Field of Fun event, noon to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

Marsha Quinn, community outreach manager for Encompass, said the event will feature face painting and bounce houses on the depot grounds along with events by other organizations including Operation Lifesaver, a hands-on booth promoting railway safety education and awareness.

The Bedrock Prospectors Club will also return for their third year in the kids area. They will have gold-panning activities set up for children to try and to learn about other types of mining equipment used in the Cascades.

Encompass will also provide all the volunteers for the activities.

After the parade, the Kids Field of Fun will begin at the depot.

“We are going to have a float in the parade with our Encompass campers, the theme is Star Wars and kids created the float themselves,” Quinn said.

“We just encourage people once they come out of the parade, to come right over and have a good time with their families.”

This year will be the first time Encompass Northwest has been involved in the organization of a Railroad Days events, Quinn said. In the past, the non-profit group has had a float in the parade but hasn’t been involved beyond that.

Quinn said Encompass was approached by the Northwest Railway Museum to help work on the event this year. Encompass thought the event fit well within its vision and mission as an organization and accepted the opportunity to help.

“I’ve been working with Peggy (Barchi) and the committee doing the planning. I started working with them in January of this year,” Quinn said.

Quinn said the Railroad Days committee has been a great group of hardworking community volunteers and is happy that Encompass got the chance to be a part of it this year.