In keeping with good community — and international — relations, Sidney and Anacortes, Washington State celebrated the annual spring return of ferry service between the two sister cities.
Town Crier Kenny Podmore, an RCMP officer in Red Serge and a uniformed Canada Border Services Agent greeted passengers as they arrived on the MV Chelan’s inaugural run of the season recently. Passengers disembarking from the Washington State Ferry vessel were met with bagpipe music and people waving both Canadian and American flags.
As the travelers made their way through customs, Anacortes Town Crier Richard Riddell and his Sidney counterpart Kenny Podmore, offered boisterous greetings and re-affirmations of the special relationship between the communities.
That was followed by speeches from Sidney Mayor Steve Price and the Mayor of Anacortes, WA, Laurie Gere, among other dignitaries.
The event is put on each spring by the Town of Sidney and the Sidney Sister Cities Association.
Sidney also has sister city relationships with Cairns, Australia and Niimi, Japan.
