Communities across the North Olympic Peninsula will mark the Fourth of July today.
Port Angeles welcomes an active-duty, destroyer-class Navy ship and its 350 sailors during its special edition Fourth of July celebration with the theme of “Anchored in Tradition, Sailing Toward the Future,” to mark the 100-year anniversary of the Port of Port Angeles.
The USS Momsen is docked at the port’s Terminal 3 in Port Angeles Harbor. Sailors will come ashore in shifts of 150 and will participate in most of the town’s activities today.
The crew members also will lead free tours of the ship from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. The waiting line will be closed after 3 p.m. to ensure tours conclude on time. All visitors will need government-issued photo identification and pass through an airport-style security screening checkpoint prior to boarding the ship.
Here is today’s schedule:
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Apple Pie Baking Contest on City Pier.
• 11 a.m. — Cornhole Tournament and Lefties Beer Garden at Pebble Beach Park on the corner of Oak Street and Railroad Avenue; and Pickleball Tournament at the upper parking lot at The Wharf at 115 E. Railroad Ave.
• Noon — Kids Zone in The Gateway transit center at Front and Lincoln streets; roller skating at 121 W. Front St.; and vendors open at transit center’s bus lanes.
• 1 p.m. — Navy Northwest Brass Band on City Pier.
• 2 p.m. — Hot Dog Eating Contest on City Pier.
• 3 p.m. — Lawnmower Derby on City Pier.
• 6 p.m. — Fourth of July parade.
• 8 p.m. — Fat Chance Concert, free on City Pier.
• 10:15 p.m. — Fireworks show, centered at Pebble Beach.
The three port commissioners — Connie Beauvais, Colleen McAleer and Steven Burke — will be the grand marshals of this year’s parade in downtown Port Angeles.
The staging location for the annual parade has changed from in the past. It will be at the intersection of Second and Valley streets. Nearby streets will be closed at 5:30 p.m.
The parade route will be Valley Street, turn right on First Street, turn left on Laurel Street down to the Black Ball Ferry terminal, turn left on Railroad Avenue, left on Oak Street, and then right on Front Street out to Marine Drive.
For more information, see the chamber website at https://www.portangeles.org.
Forks
The Forks Old Fashioned 4th of July began Thursday with businesses encouraged to decorate their windows for the holiday and continued Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Today
• 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. — Elks annual Forks 4th of July Breakfast, cost adults $15, kids 12 and under $10, Forks Elks Lodge, 941 Merchant Road,
• 8 a.m. — Garrison Flag Raising at Tillicum Park by the mayor and U.S. Coast Guard Station Quillayute River.
• 8 a.m. — Check-in for Grand Parade at Forks Outfitters parking lot.
• 8:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. — Sign-ups for Kiddies Parade begins, Peninsula College parking lot, 481 S. Forks Ave.
• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Fourth of July Art, Craft & Photography Show, Rainforest Arts Center, 35 N. Forks Ave.
• 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — Vendors in Tillicum Park.
• Noon — Forks Grand Parade begins from Forks Outfitters parking lot.
• 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. — Salmon Bake; $20 for adults, $10 for those 12 and under, Tillicum Park.
• 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. — Forks Timber Museum open.
• 3 p.m. — Demolition Derby gates open at 1 p.m., Tillicum Park arena. Derby tickets available for purchase at Forks Forum, 490 S. Forks Ave., between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Dusk — Fireworks at Tillicum Park.
Sequim
The Sequim City Band will kick off the celebration at 3 p.m. today with a free concert at the James Center for the Performing Arts at Carrie Blake Park, 500 N. Blake Ave.
The show will include a color guard presentation by the Dungeness Unit of the Cadet Color Guard of the Civil Air Patrol.
At 5:30 p.m., the Buck Ellard Band will perform, followed by Black Diamond Junction at 8 p.m.
KSQM FM 9.15 will broadcast live in between musical performances.
Carrie Blake Park amenities include horseshoe pits, bocce ball court, shuffleboard, gardens, off-leash dog park, pickleball courts, playground and ponds.
Entertainment will culminate with a 15-minute fireworks show at 10 p.m.
Port Townsend
Fiddles on the Fourth, the 2023 Fiddle Tunes Festival, will be at 1:30 p.m. at the McCurdy Pavilion at Fort Worden.
Tickets are from $16 to $32 for adults and can be reserved at https://centrum.org/event/fiddles-on-the-fourth.
At 6 p.m. tonight, the Port Townsend Summer Band and the Community Chorus of Port Townsend and East Jefferson County are collaborating to present a free program of patriotic music in a Fourth of July concert at Pope Marine Park.
Families are encouraged to bring picnic suppers and lawn chairs.
Port Townsend Summer Band will perform such familiar marches as “Liberty Bell” and “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa, as well as “Midway March” by John Williams.
Familiar pieces performed with the chorus are to include “From Sea to Shining Sea,” “God Bless America” and “This Land is Your Land.”
The chorus also will sing “A Tribute to the Armed Services,” a medley of the official songs and hymns of the U.S. military service branches.
Port Hadlock
Live music will be performed at the Spirits Bar & Grill at the Old Alcohol Plant Inn, 310 Hadlock Bay Road in Port Hadlock, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today.
Barbecue and lawn games also are planned.
