The art of spinning sugar for smiles

A sticky Sue Hinz has been taking pink, blue and purple showers after Pullman's Fourth of July Celebration for as long as she can remember.

For about 30 years Hinz has been mastering the art of spinning cotton candy at the city's Independence Day celebration, and when each day is done she's usually covered in bits of colorful cotton candy cobwebs.

"Imagine the shower: It's a little blue, a little pink, and putting those colors together makes it a little purple," Hinz said. "Your hair is just sticky. My arms are sticky. All clothes go right to the laundry basket."

If it wasn't for her sticky July Fourths, the celebration might go without the cherry and blue raspberry cotton candy clouds that span the park year after year, as she was the first to make and sell cotton candy at the event in the mid-1980s.

That many years ago there was nowhere around here children could get cotton candy, she said.

"And it's still that way," Hinz said. "There's nothing cooler than handing that cone to a little boy or girl; sometimes it's bigger than their head."

She said it's those smiles from children and the chance to serve her community that bring her back every year.

Hinz said at first she was renting the cotton candy machines for the event, until one day their owners gave them to her.

Since then those same cotton candy machines have made the trip to Sunnyside Park every July 4 to spit out what Hinz calls some of the largest cotton candy cones on the Palouse.

Hinz said an average year will require 60 to 80 pounds of sugar to meet the demand. (She keeps a five-pound backup supply in her car, just in case.)

"I can't keep a backup of a machine, but I keep tools," she said.

But Hinz couldn't do it alone.

Since she started spinning the sugary fluff and selling the stuff, she's received help from Pullman Parks and Recreation, past students of hers from the University of Idaho and other community members, plus, primarily, her family, including Rick Wayenberg, Hinz' brother; Mike Hinz, her husband; and John Hinz, her older son.

She said the family knows to never plan anything else for the holiday.

"They know what I want to do on the Fourth," she said.

Gross profits from the barbecue at the park, the cotton candy sales and most everything else sold go to fund the current year's celebration.

Hinz said the goal is to raise at least $1,000 from the $2 cotton candy cones, which will be sold 3-10 p.m.

Despite her experience, Hinz is still looking for an edge. She said her husband rolls his eyes when she goes up to the carnies at the Latah and Whitman county fairs.

Hinz said, "I'm just wondering what little tricks they have."

If there's not a line and children are tall enough, she'll let them spin their own cotton candy, but she made it clear a good-looking spin can take some concentration.

Besides a steady hand and a watchful eye, you need the right weather.

Hinz said wind can sweep cotton candy right out of the machine and send strands dancing through the park, but even though breezes are forecast this year, it's not going to stop her. It never has before.

She has no plans to pass her torch to anyone in the foreseeable future.

Hinz said, "Everybody has a cotton candy flavor in their hearts. Only a few of us love to make it."

Josh Babcock can be reached at (208) 883-4630, or by email to jbabcock@dnews.com.