Pack up your blanket, lawn chairs and a picnic and head to Fourth of July events across the North Olympic Peninsula.
An Army National Guard band and a bagpipe band will perform in Port Angeles, and other bands will play patriotic favorites and classic Sousa marches in Port Townsend and Sequim.
There are parades in Port Angeles and Forks — and fireworks shows in Forks, Port Angeles and Port Townsend at about 10 p.m.
Alcohol is forbidden at parks, personal fireworks are restricted — and your pets will be better off locked up inside your home.
Have fun, be safe and have a great Fourth at any of the following events:
Forks
The decades-long traditions of the Forks Old Fashioned Fourth of July began Saturday and run through today.
Most events take place at Tillicum Park and the adjacent Department of Natural Resources building, 411 Tillicum Lane.
■ 8 a.m.-10 a.m. — Check-in for Grand Parade, Forks Outfitters parking lot.
■ 7 a.m.-10 a.m. — Elks Breakfast, Forks Elks Lodge, 941 Merchant Road.
■ 10:15 a.m. — Final entries, Grand Parade.
■ 10:30 a.m. — Check-in, Kiddies Parade, Bank of America parking lot, sponsored by the Forks Emblem Club.
■ 11:45 a.m. — Kiddies Parade, Bank of America parking lot.
■ Noon — Grand Parade.
Chuck Archer, a World War II veteran (he was a ball-turret gunner on a bomber) who raised his family in Forks, is grand marshal.
■ Noon-4 p.m. — Arts, Crafts and Photo Show, Department of Natural Resources conference
center.
■ 1 p.m.-4 p.m. — Salmon Bake, Tillicum Park, sponsored by the Forks Lions Club.
■ 3 p.m. — Demolition Derby, Tillicum Park Arena, gates open at 2 p.m. Tickets, $8, strollers must have ticket, ages 2 and younger are free. No dogs or coolers allowed.
■ About 10 p.m.: Fireworks display, Tillicum Park.
Port Angeles
Today’s Fourth of July parade in Port Angeles will be the biggest since the parade resumed in 2002.
“We have 92 participants so far this year, and usually we have a few last-minute stragglers,” said Russ Veenema, executive director of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“Last year, we had in the 80s,” he said of the number of participants, “so this is a record for us.”
■ 6 p.m. — The parade begins in front of the Clallam County Courthouse, 319 S. Lincoln St.
The parade route will proceed north along Lincoln Street, then to First Street, where it will turn west through downtown and conclude at Valley Street.
Announcer areas will be set up in front of Veterans Park on Lincoln, the Conrad Dyar Memorial Fountain on First and Laurel streets and at the corner of First and Oak streets.
“We’ll have two marching bands and, of course, the fireworks display,” Veenema said.
“The Victoria Police Bagpipe Band will return this year, and they are very popular as well.
“If all goes well, the Coast Guard should be doing a flyover at about 6 p.m.”
The main sponsor of the Port Angeles chamber’s Fourth of July events is Wave Broadband, the Internet, cable television and telephone provider for the Port Angeles and Sequim areas.
Live music sponsored by Sunset Do It Best Hardware begins at 4 p.m. on the City Pier stage and continues — with a short break for the parade — to 10 p.m. when the Wave Broadband fireworks display begins.
■ 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Skidder Hill (bluegrass and fiddle music).
■ 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. — Big Fine Daddies (party rock ‘n’ roll with guest performance by the Victoria Police Bagpipe Band after the parade.)
■ 8:30 p.m. to about 10 p.m., when fireworks begin — Washington Army National Guard 133rd Army Band.
Fireworks will be launched from Francis Street Park at the Waterfront Trail.
The display will be best visible from the City Pier and from the Waterfront Trail in front of the Red Lion Hotel, Veenema said.
The trail, part of the Olympic Discovery Trail system, will be closed just east and west of Francis Street Park from midafternoon for safety precautions while the pyrotechnists are setting up and setting off the fireworks.
Port Townsend
Port Townsend’s Fourth of July celebration begins at Fort Worden State Park at 4 p.m.
Family games, live music and food vendors are planned on the lawn of the Fort Worden Commons.
Children’s games, with plenty of prizes, will begin at 4 p.m.
Rotary Pinball on the Castle Lawn is planned for adults from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The prize for the winning raffle ticket will be a trip to Las Vegas. Proceeds benefit the Port Townsend High School Interact Club.
The Port Townsend Summer Band will perform a concert of patriotic favorites at the Fort Worden Commons at 8 p.m.
In addition, Centrum’s 34th annual Festival of American Fiddles opens with a slate of world-class fiddling legends in Fort Flagler’s McCurdy Pavilion at 1:30 p.m.
The Fiddle Grand Finale takes place at 7 p.m. and opens with one of Ireland’s great fiddlers, John Carty.
Tickets are available online at www.centrum.org, by telephone at 800-746-1982 and at the box office at the pavilion.
Fireworks will begin at about 10 p.m.
Although Jefferson Transit will not provide shuttles from downtown to Fort Worden, on-site parking will be available.
Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary members have said this will be the last year that the club sponsors the fireworks show unless a significant amount of donations are raised.
Marrowstone Island
■ 7 p.m. — Concert by The Starlings (country and Americana) in Battery Bankhead at Fort Flagler State Park at the end of Marrowstone Island. Admission: Free, but $5 donation appreciated.
Sequim
For Independence Day in Sequim, the town will celebrate with patriotic music from the outdoor stage of the James Center for the Performing Arts adjacent to Carrie Blake Park, 202 N. Blake Ave.
The Sequim City Band and the Olympic Peninsula Men’s Chorus will perform today’s free concert for about an hour beginning at 3 p.m.
The band will perform marches and an armed forces salute, and the chorus will sing a variety of patriotic songs such as “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful.”
The traditional ending of the concert is a performance of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Concert-goers should bring chairs or blankets.
