The Fourth of July fun returns to Clark County and beyond this year, featuring multiple new events and additions to Independence Day activities.
Battle Ground
The Battle Ground Independence Celebration on July 3 will return to Commerce Avenue in the Village industrial area. The event is hosted by Maddox Industrial Transformer, featuring food trucks, hot dogs, soda, craft booths, a new kids’ parade, and more.
A professional fireworks display will commence at 10 p.m., with viewing opportunities available both inside the celebration area and from other locations in the Village area.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. with games, activities and food tents opening up. The new kids parade will take place at 8 p.m. The kids parade is designed for children aged 10 and under, the event website states. The event will feature a multitude of other kids’ activities with bounce houses, carnival games, the chance to meet first responders and explore their emergency vehicles and a lot more.
For more information on activities and parking, visit bgjuly3.org.
Ridgefield
The celebration of Independence Day in Ridgefield will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a packed schedule.
The new one-year 2.5-mile Fun Run begins at 8 a.m. with check-in at Davis Park, 337-441 North Third Ave., beginning at 7:30 a.m. The event is free, with no pre-registration required.
Zumba in the Park will start after the run at 8:30 a.m. until 10 a.m.
From 10 a.m to 5 p.m., visitors to Ridgefield’s downtown can enjoy the Fourth of July festival and kids activities throughout downtown. At Overlook Park, Hi-Fidelity Entertainment, with street dancing led by Craig Brown, will be followed by live entertainment at the stage after the parade.
At 10:15 a.m., the pet and kid pre-parade will take place from the corner of Pioneer and Third. The Ridgefield Fourth of July Committee recommends wearing patriotic colors as the pre-parade heads down the parade route. Parents are welcome to walk along and are responsible for their children’s safety and ability to participate. The kids will either walk up Pioneer or north on Third Avenue for four blocks before returning to their parents. All tamed animals are welcome. Animals must be on a leash at all times, and people should please be prepared to clean up after them.
At 11 a.m., the parade will begin. The route can be viewed from Fourth Avenue and Division down Third Avenue, to Pioneer and Eighth Avenue. Chairs are allowed to be set up on the sidewalk after 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, to save a spot for parade viewing.
At 2:30 p.m., the pie-eating contest will take place, featuring five categories for participants aged 6 to 15. Sign-ups are first-come, first-served for time slots on the day of the event at the souvenir booth in Overlook Park.
Parking will be available at Costco Wholesale, located at 519 South 56th Place in Ridgefield. A free C-TRAN shuttle will be available to the school bus turnaround, located off North Eighth Avenue. The shuttle begins at 8 a.m., with the final departure before the parade at 10:10 a.m. The shuttle resumes service at 12:30 p.m., with the final departure from downtown at 5 p.m.
For more information, visit ridgefield4th.org.
Yacolt
Yacolt’s Rendezvous Days Freedom Parade begins at 10 a.m. The parade begins at West Hoag Street and Railroad Avenue, concluding at Yacolt Primary School. Check-in for the parade begins at 8 a.m. in the Yacolt Primary School parking lot until 9:30 a.m. Paradegoers can expect floats, special vehicles, drill teams and more.
There will be more events throughout the day after the parade concludes, including a kickball tournament, sidewalk chalk art, a vendors market, a watermelon eating contest and even a mullet contest. For more information, visit townofyacolt.com/general/page/rendezvous-parade-and-events.
The website or social media does not provide any details of a fireworks display like in previous years.
Vancouver
A Fourth of July Run will take place at 9 a.m. at Pacific Community Park in the east Vancouver area. The Clark County Running Club is hosting the event in place of the Independence Run in Ridgefield on the fourth. The event is free and is a time run with distances of 1.4 miles, 2.8 miles, and 4.2 miles. Pacific Community Park is located at 1515 NE 164th Avenue in Vancouver.
Washougal
The city of Washougal is launching a new summer tradition with the debut of a Fourth of July Kids Parade at 10 a.m. at Hathaway Park. The kids parade will be a non-motorized event and is open to kids of all ages on bikes, scooters or walking.
Prior to the parade starting, time will be provided for the kids to decorate their rides, as well as enjoy games, treats, and prizes. The city states that families are encouraged to sport red, white and blue to add to the festive spirit. Hathaway Park is located at 753 25th Street in Washougal.
Downtown Portland Fireworks
The Portland Waterfront Blues Festival will once again launch its fireworks display from a barge on the Willamette River, slated for 10 p.m. The fireworks display will be serenaded by the sound of blues, soul and funk. Viewing opportunities are best surrounding the Hawthorne Bridge, Eastbank Esplanade and other river access in Portland. For more information about the Waterfront Blues Festival, visit waterfrontbluesfest.com.
