PORT HADLOCK — Hadlock Days organizers hope the revamped celebration will revive the good old days when residents and business owners put their hearts into celebrating the community.
The event has seen some rough times when interest flagged and fund-raisers struggled.
Despite the problems, though, the community expressed a desire in celebrating the unique identity of Port Hadlock and the surrounding communities of Chimacum and Irondale.
The former Jefferson Days, which was traditionally on July 4, is a thing of the past now that promoters have settled on the third weekend in July for Hadlock Days.
Event coordinator Toni Corden said she’s received positive feedback about the date change as well as the ambitious new events planned for this weekend.
“People are really excited because they hope it will bring it back like it was years ago,” Corden said. “The idea is to have a good time and let everybody see what goes on in our community. We’ll have a lot more kids’ games; we’ll have a pie-eating contest and a cakewalk.”
One activity for the whole family will be the first-ever community portrait photograph scheduled to be shot at 4 p.m. Saturday on the lawn behind Lisa’s Jewelry in the Kivley Center on Oak Bay Road.
Hadlock Days begins at 10 a.m. Saturday with food and craft booths, childrens’ games and horseshoes. As the day stretches into evening, two bands will play for a street dance following the Grand Parade.
The parade has always been small, like the community, but unique with dump trucks from the Mats Mats Quarry and the Jefferson County Bookmobile. Antique cars and other vehicles will also participate in the parade, which starts at the post office on Matheson Road and marches down Irondale and Chimacum roads.
“It is a small parade,” Corden said. “It’s never been very big.”
Jean French, Port Hadlock/Tri-Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, said she hopes the revamped festival can satisfy the desire for an annual community celebration.
“We’re trying to bring back the old days with the parade and celebration with its relaxed atmosphere,” she said.
Saturday fun
Saturday activities include a horseshoes at 1 p.m., an egg toss and a watermelon toss at 2 p.m. and a tug-of-war competition at 3 p.m.
Sunday features the Ping-Pong ball “duck egg race” with a grand prize of $750 for the winning egg — tickets are $1 per egg. Cash prizes of $250 will be awarded for second place and five $100 prizes for third, fourth and fifth winners.
The Jefferson County Library also holds it semi-annual book sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the library, 620 Cedar Ave.
