FORKS — The Fourth of July isn’t just a day in Forks; it’s a weeklong celebration.
“It’s the biggest single event in Forks,” said Pat Soderlind, secretary of the Fourth of July Committee.
The Forks Old-Fashioned Fourth of July festival begins Saturday, then will hit a high point Wednesday — the Fourth of July — with a parade and fireworks, and continue Thursday and Friday.
The festival will include a demolition derby, horseshoe tournament, frog jump, arts and craft show and other entertainment.
This year, the theme for the parade and festival is “From Sea to Shining Sea.”
It will feature a new event, the City Slickers vs. Forks Outfitters benefit softball game, at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Tillicum Ballfields.
The City Slickers team consists of members of the Forks Police Department, Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Forks Fire Department and other community first-responders, while the Forks Outfitters team is made up of employees at Forks’ iconic shopping center.
Softball contest
“It’s definitely going to be a competition,” said Kelsey Pearson, Forks police records and evidence specialist.
Many of the law enforcement players have experience, and the Forks Outfitters team has been playing as a co-ed team for a while, Pearson said.
Although both teams are out to win it, this is all about the Forks youths who play for the West End Youth League, she said.
“We’re going to help out our local team,” Pearson said.
Proceeds from the game will benefit the West End Youth League to help it recoup the costs of vandalism and burglary at their concession stand, which took place May 4 or 5.
The burglar took merchandise that parents and players sell to raise funds for the league, Pearson said.
Parade honorees
Two longtime residents will be honored for their contributions to the community.
Link Mueller, 92, will be the grand marshal of the Grand Parade, which will wend its way through downtown beginning at noon Wednesday.
Mueller has been a volunteer for many different organization in Forks for years and worked at the Forks Food Bank until recently, Soderlind said.
Soderlind said Mueller volunteered until he physically couldn’t any longer, and the parade committee named him grand marshal to recognize his many years of service to the community.
“You could rely on him,” she said.
Pearl Lucken, who recently celebrated her centennial birthday, was named Forks Pioneer.
Lucken was born in Aberdeen in 1912, moved to Forks in 1935 and raised her children in Forks, Soderlind said.
To celebrate her 100th birthday, Lucken gave up her driver’s license, Soderlind said.
Fireworks funding
The annual Forks Fourth of July fireworks show depends on the previous year’s sales and donations, Soderlind said.
“The fireworks show costs about $1,000 per minute,” she said, adding that 17 or 18 minutes of fireworks “is a lot of fireworks.”
Years ago, the committee simply purchased the fireworks, Soderlind explained, but today, everything is done by trained, professional crews.
“Now, a lot of it is digital,” she said.
For more information, visit the Forks Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Facebook page.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
