The Fourth of July weekend promises many events –from chili feeds and voter registration to music at Centrum, a beach bonanza and a fireworks display.
Here’s a quick rundown of events and doings, with additional details in Peninsula Spotlight magazine, included with this edition of Peninsula Daily News:
* In Port Townsend, walk on the beach at the Northwest Maritime Center dock on Water Street as the tide recedes to minus-3.8 feet at 10 a.m. today, setting the stage for the weekend’s Low Tide Festival.
Ron Hirshi, a fish biologist and author of children’s books, and Anne Murphy, executive director of the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, are hosts.
Then on Saturday, find out what’s hidden beneath the waters of Port Townsend Bay and Admiralty Inlet during the eighth annual Low Tide Fest from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Festival events are centered at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center at Fort Worden State Park.
There’ll be sand sculpting, fish prints, a gray whale skeleton to be assembled, and divers revealing life underwater with their camera and monitor on the pier.
Naturalist walks will begin every half-hour between 9:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m.
See Page 4 of Peninsula Spotlight for a complete schedule of Low Tide Festival events.
* Also in Port Townsend, the Cypress String Quartet is featured at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday at Joseph Wheeler Theater, 200 Battery Way, Fort Worden State Park.
Tonight’s program features Rachmaninov Sonata in G minor for cello and piano, opus 19; Jeffrey Cotton String Quartet #1 and Mozart String Quintet in C.
On Saturday night, the program includes Khachaturian Trio in G minor for clarinet, violin and piano; Dvorak String Quartet #12 in F, opus 96 and Brahms Quintet in B minor for clarinet and strings, opus 15.
See Page 7 in Peninsula Spotlight for more Chamber Music Festival highlights.
* In Port Townsend, Centrum’s Festival of American Fiddle Tunes opens its 2004 workshop and concerts Sunday at 1 p.m. at McCurdy Pavilion of Fort Worden State Park.
For the lineup of performers, see Page 4 of today’s Peninsula Spotlight.
* In Port Townsend, the monthly Gallery Walk takes on a holiday spirit from 5:30 to 8 p.m. downtown. Details of participating galleries and a featured book-signing appear in Peninsula Spotlight.
* In Port Hadlock, Boy Scouts from Troop 1480 will join forces with Hadlock Building Supply to deliver American flags, mounted on wooden shafts, to about 1,000 homes in the Port Hadlock, Chimacum and Irondale area beginning about 8 a.m. Saturday.
People who don’t want a flag delivered should call Hadlock Building Supply, 360-385-1771 before Saturday.
Otherwise, get ready to show your colors for Independence Day in the Tri-Area.
* Also in Port Hadlock, Valley Tavern owner Chuck Russell is encouraging people to register to vote Sunday while having fun during a chili feed at the establishment, 21 Chimacum Road, Port Hadlock.
Activities will begin at 1 p.m., and there will be a booth set up outside where people 18 years and older can register vote — and receive a free bowl of chili.
* In Port Townsend, A daylong celebration of America’s birthday Sunday at Fort Worden State Park starts with kayak and bike trips at the Conference Center. Call 360-344-4400 for more information.
The Port Townsend Marine Science Center and museums at Fort Worden open at 11 a.m.
There are family-style fun and games from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., sponsored by the Jefferson County Family YMCA.
Participants can ride the free YMCA shuttle from Blue Heron Middle School beginning at 3 p.m. and ending after the games. Call 360-385-5811 for information.
At 7 p.m., Karl Bach takes the baton to conduct the Port Townsend Band.
The fireworks show, sponsored by the Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary Club, is scheduled to begin about 10:30 p.m., depending on weather and sky conditions.
People attending Sunday’s evening events at the fort are encouraged to use the Jefferson Transit shuttle from the Haines Place Park & Ride beginning at 6:30 p.m. The last shuttle will leave Fort Worden at 11:30 p.m.
Alcohol and personal fireworks aren’t allowed at Fort Worden.