Fathoms’ Grand Parade sweeps in summer

PORT ORCHARD — South Kitsap’s traditional entree into summer — Fathoms O’ Fun’s Grand Parade — will take over Bay Street at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, with its usual assemblage of colorful floats, marching bands and dance teams.

The parade through downtown Port Orchard Saturday will be the 52nd restaging of the summer festival’s premier event.

Sharron King, chair of the Fathoms O’ Fun Summer Festival, said she’s expecting the usual fun and flamboyance as in past years when the parade lineup begins its march. So far, King said, the list of participants this year — under 100 — is somewhat shorter than last year, although parade favorites, such as the Kitsap Mustangs, the South Kitsap High Community Band and the traditional assortment of community festival floats, will be on hand to liven up proceedings.

The grand marshal this year is Port Orchard civic leader and former businessman Robert Geiger. Kitsap Credit Union is the parade’s primary sponsor this year.

On Friday, the day before the parade, and running until 5 p.m. on Sunday, the Fathoms’ vendor show and bouncy toys activity will take place at the gazebo located at the Port of Bremerton’s Marina Park at Port Orchard. At 6:30 p.m. at the same location, the classic-rock band “Ignite” will play its lively assortment of tunes until 8 p.m.

On the day of the parade, the Hot Foot 5K Race, sponsored by SKFRVA, will begin at 9 a.m. at South Kitsap Regional Park. And throughout the day until 9 p.m., the 4th U.S. Company C will conduct live demonstrations of Civil War living history while in period dress. Other events during Saturday will keep folks entertained until parade time: a horseshoe tournament at the park, goldfish races at the Kitsap Bank drive-thru parking lot, and a performance at the gazebo by the Tammy Frost Band.

After the parade concludes, an air show over Sinclair Inlet will be presented by Boomtown Productions. At 10:15 p.m., the Bremerton Bridge Blast fireworks show off the Manette Bridge will be visible from the Port Orchard waterfront.

Sunday’s festival highlight will be the return of the Fathoms O’ Fun Dinghy Derby on Sinclair Inlet. The event starts at noon.

Port Orchard’s own Fourth of July fireworks show, sponsored by WAVE, will blast off at 10:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 4.

A complete Fathoms event schedule and a list of parade participants are included inside the Independent’s Fathoms O’ Fun Summer Festival special section this issue.