FORKS — Forever Twilight in Forks is taking over the town’s downtown this weekend beginning today, as hundreds of people come together to celebrate Bella Swan’s birthday and the 10th anniversary of the release of both the novel “Breaking Dawn” and the first movie in the Twilight Saga.
Today’s events follow two days of pre-festival activities. A highlight today will be a free birthday party for Swan, the mortal character in the Twilight Saga of novels written by Stephenie Meyer, who was said to have been born Sept. 13.
The party at 4:15 p.m. at the Forks Outfitters patio, 950 S. Forks Ave., also will be a celebration of the apparently 17-year-old Edward Cullen’s 100th anniversary as a vampire.
“Thursday will be fun day enjoying downtown Forks,” said Lissy Andros, Forks Chamber of Commerce director and organizer of the annual Forever Twilight festival in Forks.
The festival will continue through Sunday. Events also are planned at La Push and Rialto Beach.
Ticketed events have sold out, Andros said.
She said that 450 tickets have been sold to people from all over the world but that many free activities are available for those without tickets. She expects between 700 and 800 people to participate in more than one day of the festival, which will end Sunday.
Just prior to today’s birthday celebration — where cake provided by Thriftway Bakery will be served — will be a Meet ’n’ Eat with booktubers Christine Riccio and Natasha Polis from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Parlor, 81 N. Forks Ave. Admission is free; food can be ordered off the menu.
Cosplayers representing the Volturi Coven will be on hand at a free Newborn Gathering hosted by the Older Women Group (OWG) from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the lot on the north side of Native to Twilight at 10 N. Forks Ave.
Another free event set for today is a Welcome to Forks hosted by Guri Weinberg, who played Stefan in the film “Breaking Dawn, Part 2.”
The kickoff welcoming event will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Rialto Beach off Mora Road. Other actors from the Twilight Saga movies — such as Kiowa Gordon, Erik Odom, and Ayanna Berkshire — will be present along with cosplayers of the Olympic and Volturi covens.
That will followed by black-light bowling at Sunset Lanes, 261 E. E St., from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., followed by Karaoke After Dark hosted by Odom at Blakeslee’s Bar & Grill, 1222 S. Forks Ave. Admission is free to both, although a fee is charged for bowling shoes and only those 21 and older can attend the karaoke.
This morning a hike of Second Beach with Gordon is set from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and a Twilight Bazaar is planned from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of the Rainforest Arts Center at 35 N. Forks Ave.
The Forever Twilight in Forks Collection of costumes and props will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Friday and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free; donations are accepted.
Most of Friday’s events require tickets, such as the Breakfast with the Olympic Coven, a session of photography and photo signing and Bella and Edward’s Wedding Reception. At the dinner preceding the reception, Bella Italia of Port Angeles — where Bella and Edward had their first date in “Twilight” – will serve some 500 people.
However, some are free: a school supply drive and posing for a fandom photograph among them.
On Saturday will be a panel discussion at Forks High School Commons, 261 Spartan Ave., with Catherine Hardwicke, director of the film “Twilight,” the first in the series, and Nancy Kirkpatrick, present of Worldwide Marketing for Summit Entertainment. Opening the panel will be Bekah Decker and Nikki Pierce, founders of Letters to Twilight and That’s Normal.
Those with tickets can take seats beginning at 8:30 a.m.; at 9:15 a.m., free general seating will open.
A costume contest is planned from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Forks High School Commons. Participation is free but pre-registration by 9 a.m. Saturday is necessary.
Another Meet ‘n’ Eat with BookTubers Riccio and Polis is set from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Jitterbugs Coffee and Ice Cream, 70 W. A St.
Selfies with trucks considered to be like those described as belonging to Bella Swan in the Twilight novels can be had at the Forks Information Center, 1411 S. Forks Ave., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Sunday,those with tickets are invited to a Forever Lunch.
Free events will start with cosplayer appreciation from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at Fern Acres. Participants are asked to park at the Forks Elks Lodge at 941 Merchants Road.
Free guided tours of the Miller Tree Inn at 654 E. Division St. are set from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Sunday. This is the honorary Cullen residence with Dr. Cullen’s private office upstairs. Donations will be accepted for the Forks Police Foundation.
The Redcoats Retreat 5k run will be in the Elk Creek Conservation Are from 4:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. The cost is a $20 donation to the United Way of Clallam County. Pre-registration is required today and Friday.
Actress Berkshire, who portrayed Cora the waitress, will host Cobbler and Coffee at the Forks Congregational Church, 280 Spartan Ave., from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Admission is $5 per person, with $1 of each sale going to the Friends of Forks Animals.
The festival will wrap up with a Thousand Years Festival afterparty from 9 p.m. to midnight at Blakeslee’s Bar & Grill. Admission is free but only those 21 and older may attend.
For a full schedule, see tinyurl.com/PDN-forevertwilightschedule.
Visitors at the Forks visitors center photograph Twilight look-alikes along with family and friends in front of Bella’s pickup in 2017. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)
