A couple of cool reasons for the Fourth of July to fall midweek this year.
Reason one: The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 — a Wednesday.
Reason two: What a great way to spend the middle of a work week. (It won’t happen again until 2018.)
Parades, family-fun activities, live performances and, of course, fireworks shows are planned throughout Kitsap County.
Here’s a rundown of events, town by town. (For more information about events in your community, visit your community newspaper or BainbridgeReview.com, BremertonPatriot.com, CentralKitsapReporter.com, NorthKitsapHerald.com, or PortOrchardIndependent.com.)
Bainbridge Island
Bainbridge’s 45th annual Grand Old Fourth of July Parade and Community Celebration includes a pancake breakfast, live music, the parade, and an evening fireworks display over Eagle Harbor.
The celebration begins at 7 a.m. with the Bainbridge High School Boosters Club Pancake Breakfast at the Town & County Market parking lot.
The 1-mile, 5K, and Kids Fun Runs begin respectively at 9, 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. At 9 a.m., a Classic and Antique Car Show begins in the parking lot behind the banks on Winslow Way. Live music performances begin at noon at various downtown locations.
The parade starts at 1 p.m. The Chamber of Commerce calls it “the best small town parade in America.” A steel beam from the World Trade Center, which will form the centerpiece of the 9/11 Memorial in Bremerton, will be featured in this year’s parade. The one mile parade route will begin near the Bainbridge Public Library on Madison Avenue, turn left on Winslow and end at Ericksen Avenue.
Waterfront Park will be turned into a “Kids Zone,” with bouncy houses, pony rides, putt-putt golf, face painting and other activities. The “Big Purple Slide” will be located in the parking lot behind Town & Country Market. At 11 a.m. on the Waterfront Park stage, children can “Pet a Python” with the Rovin’ Reptiles. Puppeteer Alley Oop performs at noon and 3 p.m.
Shuttle bus service, provided by Agate Pass Transportation, begins at 9:30 a.m. at parking sites at the First Baptist Church, corner of Highway 305 and Madison Avenue; ACE Hardware store parking lot; and the Kitsap Bank parking lot on High School Road behind the McDonald’s restaurant.
Keyport
Keyport’s Fourth of July celebration begins with a Community Pancake Breakfast, 8 a.m. to noon, in the Keyport Bible Church Multipurpose Building at 15270 Washington Ave. The breakfast is sponsored by the Keyport Improvement Club.
Keyport’s Fourth of July Parade assembles at 1 p.m. at the Fire Station on Pacific Avenue. Children and adults are welcome to march. The parade is sponsored by the Keyport Improvement Club.
Keyport Bible Church sponsors a free barbecue and old-fashioned family games from 2-4 p.m. in the Keyport Bible Church Multipurpose Building.
Kingston
Kingston’s Fourth of July Celebration takes place over two days, beginning July 3, and for good reason. The town by the bay has a full schedule of events: Music at the Market; the Fourth of July Music Festival; Tiny Town for children, with activities, amusements and contests; a breakfast at the Yacht Club; Fun Run; parade, and fireworks.
Tiny Town opens July 3, 10 a.m., at Kola Kole Park. The Kingston Cove Yacht Club Pancake Breakfast in July 4, 8-11 a.m. Music at the Market is July 4, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by the Music Festival, both at Mike Wallace Park. Both events feature blues, R&B, rock and country rock musicians from the region.
The Fourth of July parade begins about 12:15 p.m. Volunteers from the Kingston Food Bank will be in the parade collecting non-perishable food and cash donations.
The fireworks show begins at about 10:30 p.m., over Appletree Cove. For a unique experience, you can watch the fireworks from the water aboard the Spirit of Kingston. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be offered; beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks will be available, as well as other food, for purchase. By the time the fireworks start, you’ll be in a great spot to see them.
Cost: $25. Call (360) 297-3016, email marketing@portofkingston.org, or visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/254037.
Port Orchard
Wave Broadband presents Port Orchard’s annual Grand Fireworks Show July 4, 10:30 p.m. on Sinclair Inlet. The display can be viewed from Port Orchard and Bremerton.
There will be live music in the afternoon and evening at Port Orchard’s waterfront gazebo.
Port Orchard’s Fourth of July is presented by the Fathoms O’ Fun Festival Association.
Poulsbo
Poulsbo celebrates Independence Day a day early, giving you plenty of opportunity to get a second dose of fireworks and fun the next day.
Entertainment begins at noon July 3 at Kvelstad Pavilion in Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park, downtown, with recorded patriotic music until 4 p.m., when local country band MissyG performs.
More than 30 food and vendor booths will be open on Anderson Parkway.
The first annual Liberty Bay Stand-Up Paddle Board races will be held, with the two-mile race starting at 5 p.m. and the five-mile race at 6 p.m. The races will start in front of Kvelstad Pavilion and will take a course across the bay and down the western shore toward Keyport before returning to finish in front of the Pavilion. Paddleboarders can register for the race at www.active.com.
The Opening Ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by the Navy Band “Passages,” from 7:30-10 p.m. Fireworks will begin at 10:15 p.m. and finish at approximately 10:40 p.m. The fireworks will be accompanied by a musical sound track synchronized to the shells. The music will be simulcast by KITZ AM 1400 radio to all those watching around the shores of Liberty Bay. The fireworks show is funded by Liberty Bay Auto and Port Madison Enterprises.
The Port of Poulsbo has estimated that 800 boats will be in the bay during the fireworks show. Boats are required to remain 1,000 feet from the fireworks barge. Buoys will be deployed to indicate the safety boundary.
You can avoid the hassles of downtown parking by parking at the North Kitsap High School parking lot and, beginning at 7 p.m., the Home Depot parking lot. Shuttle bus service will be provided from those locations to the parking lot in front of the Marine Science Center. Agate Pass Transportation will charge $2 for a roundtrip for passengers 5 and older.
You can also watch Poulsbo’s fireworks show from the water. The Spirit of Kingston will leave the Port of Kingston at 9 p.m., and travel under the Agate Pass Bridge into Liberty Bay. When the fireworks are over, you can sit back and enjoy the ride home. The $25 ticket includes complimentary hors d’oeuvres. Call (360) 297-3016, email marketing@portofkingston.org, or visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/254012.
