PORT ANGELES — A staple of the Port Angeles Fourth of July parade will not happen this year because of federal budget cutbacks.
The Coast Guard has announced it won’t conduct a flyover of helicopters for the parade.
The change is because of federal sequestration and the Budget Control Act, said Lt. Tim Andersen, public affairs officer at Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles.
“In order to help preserve our ability to meet the highest-priority mission activities, including search and rescue, critical security operations and emergency response while integrating the effects of the Budget Control Act, the Coast Guard has had to re-evaluate our ability to participate in community relations events,” he said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, this means limiting or canceling U.S. Coast Guard support for most of these events.”
The Coast Guard will continue its Color Guard participation, he said.
The theme of the Fourth of July parade in Port Angeles is “Port Angeles: Celebrating our Local Heroes.”
It will be led by this year’s grand marshal, Betsy Reed Schultz, founder of the Captain Joseph House Foundation.
The Captain Joseph House at 1108 S. Oak St. is named for her son, Army Capt. Joseph Schultz, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on May 29, 2011.
It is to be a place of healing and relaxation for families of fallen military men and women.
The parade will begin at 6 p.m. on the Fourth of July, a Thursday, at the corner of Fourth and Lincoln streets, travel to First Street and move west to Valley Street.
Parade applications are available at Kitsap Bank, 716 E. Front St., and the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce website, www.portangeles.org.
There is no cost to participate because of the sponsorship of Kitsap Bank.
After the parade, the Luck of the Draw and The Hooky’s will perform at City Pier at 7 p.m.
Fireworks will be set off at about 10 p.m.