This Fourth of July this year coincides with the country’s semiquincentennial, more colloquially known as its 250th anniversary. Plus, it’s on a Saturday, offering a good excuse to gather with friends and neighbors, and celebrate in a way that feels authentic to you.
Whether you’re gearing up for fireworks, festivals, or a low-key beer and show before bedtime, here are a few ideas for how to spend the long weekend around Bellingham.
Community festivals
Bellingham’s biggest Fourth of July affair is the People’s Fourth of July Spectacular, happening this year at Zuanich Point Park and the Squalicum Boathouse. The party starts with a 4 p.m. kickoff celebration featuring the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra, plus special guests from the American Legion and City of Bellingham. Other attractions include a kid’s zone, food truck rally, music from Groove Merchant and the city’s best (and only) firework show.
Up in Blaine, Tuttle & Crump’s Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration is a “classic hometown celebration,” meant to honor “community, connection and country.” From a pancake breakfast to a street fair, car show, live music and kids’ activities, revelers can expect a range of family-friendly activities from morning until late.
Anacortes is the place to celebrate the Fourth of July in Skagit County, as this year also coincides with the city’s 100th anniversary. Its free community concert, Rock the Dock, happens at 5 p.m. and features Queen Mother and the Dana Osborn Band. Those who attend can also expect food, a beer garden and a firework display as soon as the sky darkens.
Mount Vernon also has a massive community celebration, with Criminal Squirrel Orchestra playing the Riverwalk Park stage beginning at 8 p.m. Kona Shaved Ice Truck will be on site serving sweet treats, and those who stick around until 10 p.m. can enjoy a fireworks display.
La Conner hosts its Fourth of July Hometown Celebration with food and refreshments on offer from 5 p.m. on; music with Mama Dirty Skirt, Bluefish and Steve Johnson from 5:30 p.m.; and fireworks at dusk.
Firework displays
The City of Bellingham’s fireworks are slated for 10:30 p.m., and you can spot the show from just about anywhere with a view toward the bay. This includes Zuanich Park, Boulevard Park, Waypoint Park and Maritime Heritage Park. Folks up north can enjoy Blaine’s fireworks display from Blaine Marine Park.
Spectators in Skagit County can head to Seafarers’ Memorial Park (Anacortes), Riverwalk Park (Mount Vernon), the La Conner Marina, or Loggerrodeo (Sedro-Woolley) to see fireworks on July 4. On July 3, the Big Lake Firefighters Association also hosts a massive show visible from the Big Lake Golf Course or Big Lake Church.
And while fireworks are illegal in Bellingham city limits, Birch Bay is a hotspot for folks hoping to put on their own show. Thousands of individual displays are launched from the beach on July 4 each year, according to the city’s website.
Parades
Blaine plays host to Whatcom County’s largest Fourth of July parade, which begins at noon and is followed by a performance of the national anthem.
The City of Ferndale’s Fourth of July parade also starts at noon on Main Street and features a procession of fire trucks and patriotic vehicles.
Sedro-Woolley’s annual Loggerrodeo is the longest-running Fourth of July event in Washington state, meaning organizers take their job very seriously. In addition to an 11 a.m. grand parade, spectators can marvel at live chainsaw carving, let loose at a carnival, or compete in a beard and mullet contest.
Also in Skagit Valley, La Conner has a parade at noon as part of its Hometown Celebration.
Live music
Not feeling like donning red, white and blue? Kulshan Trackside is hosting a disco-themed Fourth of July party, and “sequins, bell bottoms and disco attire” are strongly encouraged. In addition to a performance from funk/soul group The True Loves, Beach Tempo will be spinning an all-vinyl DJ set late into the night.
Hotel Bellwether’s Blues, Brews & BBQ series continues with a special July 4 installment — BBQ, Beats & Booms — featuring music from soul/funk/R&B local legends Baby Cakes. Ticket holders will be treated to a special BBQ menu (included in ticket price), a cash bar and primo firework views.
For something more low-key, Stones Throw hosts the Jimi Hendrix tribute group Purrrple Haze from 6–8 p.m. The brewery makes an ideal first destination before the fireworks — or a final stop, depending on your bedtime.
Marla Hooch’s Dead Friends will play Schweinhaus starting at 6 p.m.; the show is free to attend and pays tribute to the Grateful Dead. Benny Sidelinger and The Fits are headlining at the Guemes Island General Store from 5–8 p.m. (though I’d recommend sticking around the area afterward for fireworks).
Other music events include DJ Tru-ah’s DJ in the Park series, which occurs at Maritime Heritage Park from 6–10 p.m. on July 4. Check Jesse Stanton’s weekly calendar for a complete roundup.
Other events
The Columbia neighborhood hosts a Fourth of July picnic in Elizabeth Park. The menu consists of a pizza lunch and dessert potluck from noon on, though diners can also join a makeshift parade at 11 a.m. or play games like tug-of-war until 3 p.m.
While not technically Fourth of July-related, the Bellingham Festival of Music has its opening night on July 3, with performances and community events continuing throughout the month. This year, Artistic Director Marcelo Lehninger has specifically curated “works of Americana that speak to this year’s America 250 celebration,” per the festival’s website.
And if you (like me) are homebound caring for anxious dogs and cats on July 4, but still want to enjoy the weekend, know downtown Bellingham’s First Friday event occurs the evening prior, July 3. Highlights include the Tide & Tunes at the Granary Building, this month featuring music by The Librarians.
Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at [email protected]; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
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