The 1992 Twin Peaks Fan Festival was held from August 14-16, 1992 in Snoqualmie Valley, Washington. While the U.S. premiere of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was a tentpole moment for the weekend, the “Twin Peaks Chamber of Commerce” (known today at the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce) packed the weekend with numerous activities for both fans of the show and local residents. One of those events was a Twin Peaks 8K Fun Run, which was held on Saturday, August 15, 1992.
THE 1992 TWIN PEAKS FAN FESTIVAL
In July 1992, words was spreading about the first-ever Twin Peaks Fan Festival. Highlights of the festival would include the movie premiere, a celebrity look-alike contest, a raffle of Special Agent Dale Cooper’s 1981 Dodge Diplomat car, and meals at The Salish Lodge with celebrities.
More activities would include a cherry eating pie contest, tours of film locations, Log Lady Relay Races and a street dance party near the white gazebo in downtown Snoqualmie. Festival Director Vicki Curnutt shared that more than 10,000 people were expected to attend the weekend. The Chamber had received inquiries from fans all over the United States, Australia, Pakistan, Sweden, Switzerland and Japan.
“These people that are fans of Twin Peaks, they’re just true fans,” said Curnutt in an interview with the Associated Press in August 1992.
Interestingly, Vicki would later manage the Sigillo Wine Tasting Room in downtown Snoqualmie. Sadly, she passed on January 31, 2023 at the age of 66
Another unique event the chamber planned to hold was a Twin Peaks Fest Run in Snoqualmie, Washington on Saturday, August 15. The 8K run, which was approximately 4.97 miles, began at 10:00 a.m. The News Tribune ran blurbs in their August 5 and August 12 editions of their newspaper under the “Running” header in the “Things to Do” section. The telephone number listed is still the same one used by the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce today (using area code 425)
TWIN PEAKS 8K FUN RUN – AUGUST 15, 1992
It was a beautiful weekend in Western Washington state in mid-August 1992. The towns of North Bend and Snoqualmie were decorated with banners, street signs, balloons and more. A giant banner with a Budweiser logo hung over a main thoroughfare (though I really thought Rainier Ale should have been the sponsor since their beer appeared in Lynch’s 11992 film.).
In 2017, Welcome to Twin Peaks posted a paper schedule from the first festival with the Twin Peaks Fun Run listed as te first activity on Saturday. It would take place at Location 16. Sadly, it is unclear where it was located though I assume it started in Snoqualmie based on the earlier reports. The other side of this schedule contained a map but I have yet to locate a copy.
The Fun Run is something completely different than the two Log Lady Relay Races held on Saturday and Sunday. That race would return for the second Twin Peaks Fan Festival in August 1993 but it appears the Twin Peaks 8K Fun Run would only be held once.
THE TWIN PEAKS 8K FUN RUN LOGO
The catalyst for this article was based on a t-shirt I found while scouring rare and unique Twin Peaks memorabilia. This was the first time in my 31 year history researching this show that I had seen this logo.
I was more familiar with the overall “Twin Peaks Fest 92” logo which appeared on merchandise, paperwork and more.
The biggest change was replacing “Twin Peaks Fest” with a “Twin Peaks 8K” logo on the banner.
Additionally, the race had four sponsors including the Snoqualmie Chamber with an awesome railroad locomotive logo.
Other logos included “Go Navy” which represented the recruiting office of the Navy branch of the Armed Services and Nintendo, which opened a 300,000-square-foot automated warehouse on a 110-acre site in North Bend in early 1991. The opening of that Packaging and Distribution plant doubled Nintendo’s warehouse space in the Seattle area.
The final logo was for the now defunct Larry’s Markets, which was an upscale grocery chain that served as a Washington for more than 40 years. The stores were known for their environmentally friendly efforts and amazing deli selections.
In fall 1990, Larry’s Markets opened a Bellevue store, located just off of Highway 405 at 699 – 120th Ave. NE. This 74,000 square-foot market provided all the features of their Kirkland market that opened in summer 1989. According to their website, existing departments like the “Market Cafe, Produce Row and Market Deli were expanded and new departments like Lorenzo’s (a soda fountain with sweets and espresso bar) and B.I.O. (natural, organic and environmentally friendly products) were introduced.”
In 2006, Larry’s Markets was sold to Thursday, Teel and Michael Ashker, a California-based investor, after seeking bankruptcy protection in May 2005. Teel’s and Ashker’s LM Acquisition Partners LLC agreed to “pay $5.5 million for five of the six Larry’s stores in Seattle and the Eastside, and its catering business.”
Connecting this 8K Fun Run shirt and race activity to David Lynch and Mark Frost’s wonderful and strange show may seem like a stretch. Yet, it was a part of the history of the Real Twin Peaks. With a unique logo and the fact it was the first activity on Saturday, August 15, it’s now forever remembered as part of this first event for Twin Peaks fans.
If you participated in this run or have any photos or memories from your experience, I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.
