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Board approves 'Soak 2025' outdoor mass gathering permit with sound variance, agencies had signed off
Summary
The Wasco County Board approved an outdoor mass-gathering permit for Soak 2025 (May 22–26) with a sound variance. Planners said emergency services and traffic plans were reviewed; sheriff and fire officials reported post-event reviews and no major issues in recent years.
The Wasco County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday approved an outdoor mass-gathering permit for Soak 2025, a music-and-arts festival scheduled for May 22–26, and granted the event’s requested variance from the county’s amplified-sound hours.
Senior Planner Sean Bailey presented the application and a staff recommendation to approve. He said the event site at the Justice and Ranch in Tygh Valley has held the event in prior years and that planners coordinated with fire, police, public health and public works on traffic, evacuation and medical plans. The application requests a maximum attendance cap of 2,400 people, including staff and volunteers, short of the 3,000-person state threshold that would trigger other state standards.
Bailey summarized agency comments: Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and Tygh Valley Fire signed off after clarifications. Selkirk/Wasco County ambulance (MOP) asked that event medics call 911 for off-site transports and allow local emergency services to coordinate transports; the producers agreed to that protocol. Public works reviewed and approved a revised traffic and parking plan after a site visit.
Sheriff McGill told the board his office conducts an internal review after each event to examine calls for service, medical incidents and noise complaints; he said those reviews in recent years showed only a few minor issues, largely noise and one traffic congestion location off a state highway.
Gloria Anholt, one of the event producers, described on-site fire-safety changes after last year’s nearby wildfire: the event has better access to agricultural water and firefighting pumps, portable “water buffalo” tanks and on-site personnel with professional firefighting experience. She also said the event uses White Bird Rock Medicine for on-site medical teams who do not provide off-site transport themselves but coordinate with local EMS for transfers; producers agreed to the county and ambulance request that local EMS coordinate off-site transports.
Board members and agencies discussed trash and dumpster use (producers said dumpsters have rarely filled in past years) and traffic queuing improvements implemented this year. Public health provided written availability to consult on drinking-water, sanitation and food-safety questions; staff reported no outstanding public-health objections.
After technical questions and no public opposition at the hearing, Commissioner moved to approve Order 25‑031 approving Soak 2025, including the sound-variance request, and the motion passed unanimously.
