Columbia Basin Youth Baseball would like to welcome you to the city of Ephrata, home to the 2011 Babe Ruth 16-18 World Series. Ephrata (Ee-fray-tuh) is a short drive off Interstate 90, situated near the geographical center of the state of Washington, just a few hours from both Seattle and Spokane.

The site for the tournament (Aug. 6-13, 2011) is Johnson-O’Brien Stadium, located at Ephrata High School. It is considered by many to be the finest high school baseball facilities in the state of Washington, and has been the center of much of the baseball success in the Columbia Basin. Ephrata High School’s baseball tradition runs deep, as shown by 71 league, district, regional and state championships won by the Ephrata Tigers since 1970.

Ephrata is the gateway to the Columbia Basin. There is a tremendous amount of fun and exciting activities going on at all times in the Basin area, and Ephrata offers many of those activities right here, such as the Sage ‘n Sun Festival in June, Basin Summer Sounds music festival in July, and Miracle on Main Street holiday celebration in December.

Located in Ephrata, a walk through the past can be found at the Grant County Historical Museum and Village. Situated on 3.75 acres, the museum has a complex of buildings, historic settings, colorful displays and objects that will fascinate even the youngest in your family. The museum provides you with the opportunity to actually enter the buildings and experience what the pioneer life of a bygone era was all about. Also, see the Village come to life at the annual Living Museum weekend during the first part of June.

Ephrata is also a short drive from many of the main attractions of the Columbia Basin, including:

*The Gorge Amphitheatre is a 20,000-seat concert venue located above the Columbia River gorge in George, Washington. Administered by LiveNation, it is considered one of the premier and most scenic concert locations in North America and the world. The venue offers sweeping and majestic views of the Columbia River, and over the years has featured a wide-range of top acts from the world of music, including Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, Van Halen, Rush, The Who, Aerosmith, Metallica, John Mayer, The Police, Tom Petty and the Heart­breakers, The Allman Brothers Band, Pink Floyd and Steely Dan, and Tool. It is home of the annual Sasquatch! Music Festival, the Vans Warped Tour, and the west edition of the Christian music festival Creation Festival.

*Grand Coulee Dam is truly magnificent to behold. Built from 1933 to 1975, it is 550 feet tall, from the 500 foot wide polished granite base, to the 30-foot wide crest which supports a paved two lane road, and nearly 1 mile long. During the summer months, Grand Coulee offers free Laser Light Shows that are projected on the dam, telling the story of how and why the Grand Coulee Dam came to be built! This narrated story, combines colorful lasers that move across the entire span of the dam, creating magnificent moving images that virtually dance across the spillway.

*As the name suggests, Dry Falls no longer carries water, but is the remnant of what was once the largest waterfall known to have existed on earth. Viewing the 3.5 miles of sheer cliffs that drop 400 feet, it is easy to imagine the roar of water pouring over them. (Niagara Falls by comparison, is one mile wide with a drop of 165 feet).

*The ancient ice flows also left Grant County and the Columbia Basin with a legacy of lakes and rivers that offer some of the Pacific Northwest’s top fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities. From Lake Roosevelt, which runs for 130 miles behind Grand Coulee Dam, to Banks Lake, Park Lake, Blue Lake and Soap Lake to the south of the dam, anglers, skiers and campers can easily find ways to enjoy the area.

*For those looking to get in a few holes, Grant County has several golf courses close to Ephrata, including a 9-hole municipal course at Oasis Park at the west end of town. Wine lovers can tour some of the top producers in the region, and from rock climbing to exploring farmers’ markets, the list of activities in the Basin goes on and on.

 On behalf of the 2011 World Series organizing committee in Ephrata, we invite you to join us in August for not only the best of senior-level baseball, but to see one of the most beautiful areas in the northwest. For more information, contact Grant County Tourism at (509) 754-2011 ext. 331, or find them online at www.tourgrantcounty.com. And welcome to Ephrata -- we’re glad you’re here.