Fourth of July celebrations abound in Lewis County and surrounding communities.
Of course, in the area, nothing quite tops the Summerfest Independence Day events, which are back this year with its full schedule of beloved traditions along with a few new activities.
A free pancake breakfast and 5K Fun Run will each be held at Centralia College from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. July 4. Then, Centralia College’s Bob Peters Field will host free field activities from 10 a.m. to noon. featuring an obstacle course, tees, bubbles, soccer goals and more.
From 12 to 3:30 p.m., Cooks Hill Community Church will host free family-friendly activities in George Washington Park, including a scavenger hunt, games, crafts and more.
Music will be provided by KELA/KMNT from noon to 2 p.m.
Food vendors will be at Pine Street Plaza from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. to complement downtown shopping and dining options.
There will also be live music by local band BonzoBalm from noon to 3 p.m. and games hosted by the Centralia Downtown Association.
The Summerfest parade begins at 4 p.m. in downtown Centralia, followed by a demolition derby and free fireworks show at the fairgrounds.
To learn more about Centralia’s Summerfest, read The Chronicle’s previous coverage at https://bit.ly/3RN9dfN.
However, there is plenty more than Summerfest to capture the attention of local Fourth of July revelers.
The following are additional options through Lewis, South Thurston and East Grays Harbor counties. To have an event added to this list, email news@chronline.com.
We Love Rainier’s All-American Jubilee
Before the Fourth of July week starts, Independence Day festivities will begin at the All-American Jubilee from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 30, at Wilkowski Park, 102 Rochester St. E. in Rainier.
This family-friendly event is free to attend and is being organized by We Love Rainier, a nonprofit focused on developing Rainier and fostering a vibrant, close-knit community according to its website.
Classic hot rods will be on display for a car show. Attendees can also enjoy a variety of family friendly activities and events. Local vendors and artisans will be on hand along with food trucks.
For more information, visit https://www.weloverainierwa.org/event-details-registration/all-american-jubilee.
Randle Firefighters’ Association Big Bottom Blast
In East Lewis County, the Randle Firefighters’ Association will host the Big Bottom Blast fireworks show on Wednesday, July 3, at White Pass High School, located at 516 Silverbrook Road in Randle.
Face painting and games will be available free for children. Attendees are advised to bring blankets and chairs.
This fireworks show is free to attend and will begin at 10 p.m.
For more information, message the Randle Firefighters’ Association on its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/RandleFirefighters.
Freedom Celebration at Jesus Name Pentecostal Church in Chehalis
On Wednesday, July 3, the Jesus Name Pentecostal Church will host its annual Freedom Celebration, which includes a barbecue, bounce houses and an obstacle course for kids, live music and a fireworks show. Attendees are advised to bring blankets and chairs.
All festivities are free to attend and begin at the church at 8 p.m., located at 1582 Bishop Road in Chehalis, with the fireworks show expected to end around 10:30 p.m.
For more information, call the Jesus Name Pentecostal Church at 360-748-4977.
Free Fourth of July meals in Centralia
Lewis County Drug Court graduate Leah Rader will once again be cooking and distributing free Fourth of July meals to anyone who wants one at Tower Avenue Chevron in Centralia.
“It’s free for all, and all are welcome,” Rader told The Chronicle.
The barbecue will be fired up at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 4, to grill up hot dogs, which will be served with a side of potato salad, cookies for dessert and a bottle of water.
The event will go on until the food runs out. Chevron is located at 520 S. Tower Ave. in Centralia.
Mossyrock Independence Day events
In Mossyrock, the Independence Day 5K and 8K run will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Mossyrock Dam on Thursday, July 4. Runners will begin near the Mossyrock Dam’s southern public fishing area off of Switchyard Lane.
Registration is required and costs $30 for adults and $25 for children between the ages of 12 and 17. Children under 12 can run for free, and the adult price will rise to $35 the day of the race.
Dogs and bicycles are not allowed on the course. For more information and to register, visit https://mossyrockfestivals.org/5k-8k/. This event is being organized by the Mossyrock Area Action League in partnership with Arbor Health.
Then, at 11 a.m. on July 4 in downtown Mossyrock, youth bike races will be held. These races are free to attend and last year, children pedaled their bikes down West Main Street in Mossyrock.
Following the bike races, the Mossyrock Independence Day parade will make its way down West and East State Street starting at around noon. After the parade, BairdCreek will be performing live.
Finally, at dusk — around 10 p.m. — on July 4 at Mossyrock High School, located at 545 Williams St. in Mossyrock, the city’s fireworks show will commence. Attendees are advised to bring blankets and chairs to sit on.
For more information, email the Mossyrock Area Action League at MAALevents@protonmail.com, or visit https://mossyrockfestivals.org/freedom-festival-events/.
Toledo’s Independence Day fireworks show and sales
Those living in and around Toledo can expect its fireworks show to begin around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, in an event hosted by the Soto-Bloomstrom family in collaboration with the Toledo Lions Club, the City of Toledo and Lewis County Fire District 2.
The show is free to the public. Fireworks will be launched from behind the fire district’s station and Toledo City Hall in the downtown area on North Second Street along the banks of the Cowlitz River. Attendees are advised to bring blankets and chairs.
Before the show starts, light-up glasses, rings, tiaras and bracelets will be given out for free to children around the city hall area.
Additionally, a table will be set up at Toledo City Hall — located at 130 N. Second St. — serving Polish hot dogs and pulled pork sandwiches free of charge. Donations will be accepted, with all proceeds going toward the Miguel Soto Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was set up in his memory after Miguel drowned in the Chehalis River at only 20 years old in 2022.
For those looking to hold their own backyard fireworks displays, a pair of Toledo Lions Club fireworks stands will open for sales starting on Friday, June 28, from noon to 7 p.m.
The stands will then be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, noon to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 1, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2, and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, and Thursday, July 4.
One stand will be located outside of Toledo Market Fresh, located at 400 Cowlitz St. in Toledo, while the other will be located at Gee Cee’s Truck Stop, 123 Foster Creek Road just off Exit 57 on Interstate 5.
Fireworks sales help the Toledo Lions Club fund various events it holds including seasonal firewood sales, various auctions and raffles, the annual Jim and Penny Lancaster Kids Fishing Derby, Toledo Cheese Days events and more.
For more information or to sign up to volunteer working at a stand if you’re a Lions Club member, visit https://toledolionsclub.org/events/fireworks-sales/.
Vader’s Fun, Family, Fourth of July celebration and fireworks show
Beginning at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, the City of Vader and the Vader Lions Club will host the annual Fun, Family, Fourth of July with Fireworks celebration and fireworks show at the Vader pre-K property on D Street.
Admission is free and food vendors will be on hand selling Mexican food, cotton candy and more, with the fireworks show scheduled to begin after sundown.
The fireworks show will begin around 10 p.m. after dusk. Attendees are advised to bring blankets and chairs to sit on.
For more information, call the City of Vader at 360-295-3222.
Pe Ell’s Independence Day events
Pe Ell’s Fourth of July celebrations kick off on Thursday, July 4, with the Pe Ell 4th of July Festival Classic Car show beginning at 9 a.m. at the Pe Ell School, located at 519 N. Second St. in Pe Ell.
Registration for the car show opens at 8 a.m. and costs $25 per vehicle. Registration can be completed before the show at https://peell4thofjulyfestival.com/car-show.
At noon on Main Street in downtown Pe Ell, the town’s 30th annual Fourth of July parade will begin, followed by a children’s bike parade starting at the Willapa Hills Trailhead Park.
Local vendors and artisans will be set up in the downtown area throughout the day. Pe Ell’s fireworks show, scheduled to start at 10 p.m., will also be held at the Pe Ell School.
For more information, visit https://peell4thofjulyfestival.com/.
Mineral’s Fishing, Freedom and Fireworks
Once the Independence Day weekend finally kicks off, the Mineral Lake Lions Club will host its annual Fishing, Freedom and Fireworks event on Saturday, July 6.
Beginning at 3 p.m., a kids trout pond will be set up at the Lions Den Campground, located at 113 E. Front St. in Mineral. Prizes for catching tagged fish will be available.
Then, at 7 p.m., the bluegrass group Elizabeth Hill and the Valley Folk will perform at the campground’s Crawdad stage, leading up to the fireworks show, which will begin after sunset.
Attendees are advised to bring blankets and chairs to sit on.
To learn more, visit https://minerallakelions.com/ and select the events tab.
Oakville’s Independence Day events
Beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 6, the Oakville Chamber of Commerce hold the city’s annual Independence Day parade, heading down U.S. Highway 12 through Oakville.
The parade’s grand marshal will be Tony Medina, who retired in 2019 after working in the Chehalis Tribe Youth Center for 26 years.
“In that time, he became everyone’s ‘Uncle Tony,’ often caring for kids who would grow up to send their own kids to hang out with him at the Youth Center in turn. Many people have fond memories of Tony greeting the school bus with hugs, a funny made up song, and maybe a special snack,” a social media post stated.
Following the parade, local vendors and artisans will be set up in the grassy area south of Highway 12 between South Allen Street and South Center Street.
Along with the vendors, a car show, kids zone and beer garden will also be set up in the area with the vendors.
For more information, including how to sign up for a vendor spot or sign up to participate in the parade, visit the Oakville Chamber of Commerce’s event page at https://bit.ly/3XBlXtB.
Packwood’s fireworks show
Also over the Independence Day weekend on Saturday, July 6, Lewis County Fire District 10 will be holding Packwood’s annual fireworks show in the vacant field across the road from its fire station — located at 12953 U.S. Highway 12 in Packwood.
Fireworks will start shortly after sunset and this event is free to attend. Attendees are advised to bring blankets and chairs to sit on.
