Stars, stripes and small-town enjoyable

Stars, stripes and small-town enjoyable

Published 1:30 am Friday, June 26, 2026

For America’s 250th birthday, Whidbey Island can be decked out in pink, white and blue. From hometown parades and pancake breakfasts to reside music, household actions and many fireworks, it will likely be a packed vacation weekend.

Check out this roundup of loads of methods to rejoice Independence Day near house.

Freeland

Enjoy Independence Day festivities early on the South finish at 4 p.m. on July 3, at Freeland Park, 1535 E. Shoreview Drive. The Greater Freeland Chamber of Commerce’s Freedom Fest invitations households to take heed to reside leisure, peruse meals distributors, and revel in face portray, bounce homes and quite a lot of actions all through the night. A helicopter flyover can be deliberate so as to add to the thrill. The celebration wraps up with a colourful fireworks present. Learn extra at https://whidbeycamanoislands.com/occasion/celebrate-america.

Clinton

The Maxwelton Community Club’s annual Fourth of July Parade will carry residents collectively for considered one of South Whidbey’s most cherished traditions at midday on July 4, close to Swede Hill Road in Clinton. The marchers, musicians and neighborhood teams will journey by city decked in patriotic colours. Following the parade, attendees can collect at Dave Mackie Park for a flag-raising ceremony, video games and refreshments. Loads of pie and household actions assist make the celebration a favourite. Visit for extra info.

Oak Harbor

Pups and their people are invited to the Whidbey Wags Pet Parade and Costume Contest at 4:30 p.m. on July 3, at Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor. Decked out in patriotic apparel, pets and their homeowners will be a part of a parade route stretching from Windjammer Park to Flintstone Park. Along with the parade, attendees can get pleasure from vendor cubicles, video games, giveaways, picture alternatives and family-friendly actions. The occasion affords a cute kickoff to the vacation weekend. Learn extra at www.oakharborchamber.com/whidbey-wags. On the identical day, the Healthy Island Youth Initiative Chum Run and the free Kids’ Fry Run will happen. The 5K race raises scholarship funds for native youth. Preregistration is offered at www.nwpprd.org/recreation.

The celebration continues with the Fourth of July Carnival, working June 26 by July 5 at Windjammer Park. Carnival rides, video games and traditional truthful meals will fill the park all through the vacation week. Visitors can bask in funnel truffles, corn canines, cotton sweet and extra.

The Fourth of July parade will as soon as once more carry the neighborhood collectively at 11 a.m. on July 4, following the normal route from East Pioneer Way, alongside Bayshore Drive, and returning to Pioneer Way. Floats, marching teams and musical performances will make their manner by town. Retired Navy Capt. Dave Williams will lead this 12 months’s parade. At midday, the chamber’s beer backyard opens for adults seeking to calm down and benefit from the festivities. Guests can sip beer or cider whereas listening to reside music all through the afternoon and night. The beer backyard additionally returns on Sunday afternoon.

Visitors may browse handmade items, antiques and specialty objects from 11 a.m. to six p.m. on July 4- 5, at Windjammer Park in the course of the chamber’s Fourth of July Vendor Fair. Live leisure, contests and household actions will hold the park energetic all through the weekend. The truthful affords one thing for practically all ages.

Stick round till 10 p.m. on July 4 for the chamber-sponsored fireworks present that can mild up the sky above the waterfront. The show serves because the grand finale. Eric Marshall, govt director of the Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce, stated it’s considered one of his most anticipated occasions of the weekend.

“Thanks to the tremendous generosity and support of our Chamber members and community sponsors, we were able to raise enough funding to present a significantly larger fireworks show than in previous years,” he stated.

“We hope everyone will join us in celebrating our nation’s 250th birthday while enjoying a safe, fun-filled weekend with family, friends and neighbors.”

The vacation festivities proceed at 10 a.m. on July 5 at Windjammer Park with the Windjammer Car Show. The occasion showcases traditional automobiles, scorching rods, muscle automobiles and specialty automobiles alongside the waterfront. Vehicle fanatics can stroll amongst dozens of entries. Judging begins at midday and continues by the afternoon. At the identical time, beginning at midday on the Windjammer Park Pavilion, members will face off within the annual scorching canine consuming contest. Contestants will compete to devour probably the most scorching canines earlier than time runs out whereas spectators cheer them on. The competitors continues at 1 p.m. with the Independence Day Cornhole Tournament. Teams will check their expertise in an informal however spirited contest open to quite a lot of expertise ranges. Learn extra about Oak Harbor’s Independance Day occasions at www.oakharborchamber.com/independence-day.

Support firefighters and bask in some syrupy pancakes with the North Whidbey Firefighters Association from 7 to 11 a.m. July 4 at 2720 Heller Road in Oak Harbor. The affiliation will serve up its annual pancake breakfast that features pancakes, sausages, bacon, espresso and juice. The fundraiser helps assist affiliation actions all year long. Find extra info at

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Enjoy a free museum day on July 4 on the Pacific Northwest Naval Air Museum in Oak Harbor. Visitors can discover native aviation historical past freed from cost. Museum displays spotlight the legacy of naval aviation and the women and men who served. Families, historical past fanatics and first-time guests are all inspired to cease by. The free-admission occasion offers an academic addition to the vacation festivities. Learn extra in regards to the free msueum day on the Pacific Northwest Naval Air Museum’s Facebook.