PORT ANGELES — Downtown Port Angeles will celebrate Independence Day with a full day of free family activities, vendors, live music and a parade before the evening’s fireworks show.
“We are turning up the volume in Port Angeles this year,” said Marc Abshire, Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce executive director.
“It is going to be bigger and better than ever before.”
The Port Angeles fireworks display over the harbor Monday night will be the largest in several years, Abshire said.
“It is going to be much bigger than in the past — longer and bigger shells,” he said.
“We are able to do that because Wave Broadband came through with their annual sponsorship, which is the bulk of the cost, and then we added to their normal amount with a grant from the Port of Port Angeles Community Partners Program.
“Between the port and Wave Broadband, we are able to bring an enhanced fireworks display this year.”
The combined funding totals about $14,000, Abshire said, adding that that is about a $3,000 increase over previous years.
“The cost of fireworks have gone up over the years, and we haven’t spent more,” he said.
“Since 2008, the show has gotten smaller and smaller just because the cost of fireworks [has] gone up.”
With the additional funding this year, “we are able to jump over the inflation that has occurred on the cost of fireworks and we are going to be able to bring Port Angeles a fireworks show that they haven’t seen here for a number of years,” Abshire said.
Abshire said he and his staff have prepared for the festivities for the past two months.
“We are really trying to provide a full day of family activities downtown,” he said.
The chamber, Abshire said, has worked with several community organizations to expand and improve the number of free, public events planned for this year’s celebration.
Vendors
New this year will be the addition of vendors in The Gateway transit center bus lanes from noon to 5 p.m. Monday.
“The buses are not running on the Fourth of July, so we are taking over those bus lanes and filling it up with vendor booths. We lucked out because the farmers market agreed to help us organize that because they are really good at that job.”
Numerous activities for children and families will be offered all afternoon.
The chamber is “fortunate to have great support from sponsors and government agencies, without whom we could not have taken on the task of expanding our community’s national Independence Day celebration,” Abshire said.
“This is one of those important days of the year when we get a chance to celebrate both patriotism and the value of a strong and active community. We’re very much looking forward to a fun, full day in downtown Port Angeles on the Fourth of July.”
Firecracker start
The day will begin at 10 a.m. with the Firecracker 5K/10K, for which patriotic attire is encouraged.
Prizes will be awarded for the most festive Independence Day-inspired attire, as well as for Fastest Woman, Fastest Man, Fastest Girl and Fastest Boy.
Registration and check-in will open at 8:30 a.m. at the Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St.
Entry is $25 for adults 21 and older, $10 for youths ages 7 to 20 and free for those 6 and younger.
Proceeds will benefit the Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club and the Port Angeles Downtown Association.
The race route will begin and end on the Waterfront Trail in front of the Red Lion Hotel and Port Angeles CrabHouse Restaurant.
Youngsters participating will receive complimentary frozen desserts at the finish. Each participant who is 21 or older will receive a complimentary finisher beer.
For more information, call 360-457-9614.
Schedule
Here is the schedule for the rest of the day:
■ 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Teen Talent Showcase at the City Pier.
■ Noon to 5 p.m. — Kids Zone at The Gateway transit center, 123 E. Front St.
Activities include PA Rocks, face painting, a cupcake walk, a selfie station, a pancake artist, a workshop set up by Home Depot and an art table and chalk art.
■ Noon to 5 p.m. — Vendor booths at The Gateway.
Farmers market goods, food, clothing and furniture will be for sale.
■ Noon to 5 p.m. — Cabled Fiber and Yarn will host free community weaving at The Gateway.
Participants will use a traditional floor loom with a variety of textiles including yarn, wool fleece, rag strips and other fibers to create a unique series of panels that will be placed on display at City Hall.
For more information, call 360-504-2233 or visit www.cabledfiberstudio.com.
■ 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.— Farmstrong Band at City Pier.
■ 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. — Buck Ellard Band at City Pier.
■ 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. — Camille Bloom Band at City Pier.
■ 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. — Annual Fourth of July parade through downtown Port Angeles along Lincoln and First streets.
■ 10:15 p.m. — Fireworks display over Hollywood Beach.
For more information, see the Port Angeles chamber’s website at www.portangeles.org and look under “Events.”
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Reporter Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
