While fireworks stands throughout Lewis County are now open — including annual operations by local Lions Clubs as fundraisers — many communities throughout the county are also planning on setting off their own Fourth of July fireworks shows over the holiday weekend.
Fireworks shows will be held at Summerfest in the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds, Packwood, Randle, Mineral Lake, Pe Ell and Vader July 3 through July 5.
Aside from celebratory explosions, a number of other Independence Day events, ranging from a 5K run and children’s bike race to a pancake breakfast and free meals to car shows, will also be held.
For those looking to purchase their own fireworks benefiting local scholarship funds, the Toledo Lions Club has two stands set up — one at the Toledo Market Fresh parking lot at 400 Cowlitz St. in Toledo and the other at Gee Cee’s Truck Stop, located at 123 Foster Creek Road just off of Exit 57 on Interstate 5.
To learn more, including days and hours of operation, visit the Toledo Lions Club’s website at https://toledolionsclub.org/events/fireworks-sales/.
The Winlock Lions Club’s fireworks stand is located in the 300 block of Northwest Kerron Street across the road from the Winlock Liquidation Warehouse. For more information, visit https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/winlockwa/page-10.php.
Randle’s Big Bottom Blast
On Thursday, July 3, the Randle Firefighters’ Association will host the Big Bottom Blast fireworks show 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 dusk.
For more information, message the Randle Firefighters’ Association on its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/RandleFirefighters.
Free Fourth of July meals in Centralia
Lewis County Drug Court graduate Leah Rader, now working at Gather Church, will once again be cooking and distributing free Fourth of July meals to anyone who wants one at the church’s Gather Cafe, located at 408 W. Main St. in Centralia.
The barbecue will be fired up at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 4, and meals will be distributed until 1 p.m.
The menu will consist of, “hot dogs, pasta salad and cookies, all are welcome!” Rader told The Chronicle.
Mossyrock Freedom Festival
In East Lewis County, the Mossyrock Freedom Festival kicks off with the Arbor Health Independence Day 5K and 8K Hill Challenge at the Mossyrock Dam on Friday, July 4, at 8:30 a.m.
Runners and walkers 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 11 can run for free.
On the morning of the 5K and 8K, the price will rise to $37.50 for adults, $30 for children 12 to 17 and $5 for children under 11.
Dogs and bicycles are not allowed on the course. For more information and to register, visit https://www.myarborhealth.org/mossyrun/. This event is being organized by the Mossyrock Area Action League in partnership with Arbor Health.
Following the 5K and 8K at 10:30 a.m. 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.
After 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, Klickitat Prairie Park will be open for visitors and picnickers.
While traditionally the town closes the day’s celebrations with a fireworks show organized by Mossyrock’s Lewis County Fire District 3, the show will not be held this year, according to the Mossyrock Area Action League’s website.
For more information, visit https://mossyrockfestivals.org/freedom-festival/.
Vader’s Red, White and Boom
While a massive combined fireworks show is planned for the evening on Friday, July 4, Independence Day events kick off in the South Lewis County community with the Hell on Wheels Car Show from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on A Street in Vader.
The car show coincides with a vendor fair with local artisan and crafted products, live music, food vendors and a beer garden run by Vader’s The Tracks Bar and Grill from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission to the car show is free.
Registration for the car show is $25 per vehicle, and can be done online at https://vadercarshow.com/.
For the fireworks show, which is set to begin at 10 p.m., organizers of the City of Toledo’s fireworks show are collaborating with Vader’s to put the show on — which is expected to last around an hour.
While the neighboring South Lewis County community typically holds its own fireworks show each year, show co-organizer Amanda Soto elected not to hold it this year. This decision came following complaints and safety concerns made at Toledo City Council meetings last month by business owners and a Lewis County Fire District 2 commissioner.
The Soto family began organizing Toledo’s fireworks show as a way to fundraise for the Miguel Soto Memorial Scholarship Fund, created in memory of their late son who passed away in 2022. Each year, they raised money for two $500 scholarships.
“We had the backing of the city, Lions Club and community … We paid for all fireworks out of our own pocket so no one else had to. It really breaks our hearts that there are a couple people who went behind our backs to try and stop it,” Soto stated in a City of Toledo Washington Community Page post on Facebook. “So we decided it wasn’t worth losing our peace. With that being said, we will be donating our fireworks and our time to the Vader show this year! The mayor has been so kind to allow us to set up a donation jar too. So please come on by and see us in Vader!”
Fireworks will be launched from the field at the Vader pre-K property on D Street. For more information, call the City of Vader at 360-295-3222.
Pe Ell Fourth of July Festival
In West Lewis County, Independence Day festivities start with a car show at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 4. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and costs $25 per vehicle.
The car show will be held at St. Joseph’s Church, located at 417 N. Main St. in Pe Ell.
Then at 10 a.m., vendors will open for business at Tank Park, Copper Cozy Grass and the Gesa Credit Union parking lot. Also at 10 a.m., a “kids zone” with games, face painting, crafts and more will open in the field behind Evey’s Cafe at 416 N. Main St. in Pe Ell.
At 10:30 a.m., state Route 6 will be closed as the parade prepares to begin at noon, traveling down Main Street in Pe Ell from East Pe Ell Avenue to West Fourth Avenue.
The day’s celebrations conclude with a fireworks show at the Pe Ell School, located at 519 N. Second St. in Pe Ell.
To learn more, visit https://peell4thofjulyfestival.com/.
Centralia’s Summerfest celebrations
In Centralia, a variety of events are planned throughout the day on Friday, July 4, for Summerfest, organized by the Centralia Downtown Association.
Festivities begin at 8 a.m. with a free pancake breakfast hosted inside Centralia College’s TransAtla Commons, going until 10 a.m. Donations, which benefit the Centralia Rotary, are welcomed.
Also at Centralia College beginning at 8:30 a.m., the Run Amok Irish Running Club’s 5K fun run will start at the college's clock tower. Registration is free but canned food donations for the Centralia College Food Pantry are appreciated.
Vendors will also be located across from Pine Street Plaza from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
In downtown Centralia, family friendly activities hosted by Cooks Hill Community Church will be held at George Washington Park from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. — which includes a foam party from noon to 1 p.m. courtesy of Crazy Fun Foam Party.
Then at 4 p.m., the Summerfest parade begins, making its way down both North Tower Avenue and North Pearl Street, led by parade Grand Marshal Brian Mittge.
Festivities conclude in the evening at 10:20 p.m., when the Summerfest fireworks show will start at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds, which is being sponsored by Gesa Credit Union and Wolverine West Fireworks.
For more information, visit the Centralia Downtown Association’s website at https://downtowncentralia.org/parades-holiday-events.
Fishing, Freedom and Fireworks in Mineral
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 5. This event is free to attend.
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.
Along with the trout pond, anglers can try their luck on Mineral Lake itself, and food trucks will be available for those who don’t manage to catch dinner.
Additionally, country music artist Mason Gaul will be performing live at the campground’s Crawdad stage beginning at 7 p.m., leading up to the fireworks show, which will begin after dark.
Attendees are advised to bring blankets and chairs to sit on.
For more information, message the Mineral Lake Lions Den Campground on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/minerallakelionsden.
Packwood fireworks show
Also in East Lewis County on Saturday, July 5, Lewis County Fire District 10 will be holding Packwood’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show, beginning at around 9:45 p.m.
Fireworks will be launched from the field across the road from the Packwood Community Hall and Fire District 10 fire station, located at 12953 U.S. Highway 12.
Free to attend, donations are welcome and benefit the fire district. Donations can be made either at the fire station itself, or at the Chevron gas station, located at 12974 U.S. Highway 12.
For more information, visit https://visitrainier.com/events/packwood-fireworks-show/.
Oakville’s Independence Day events
The Oakville Independence Day Parade, festival and Scoot the Route Car Show is set for Saturday, July 5.
Festivities start at 11 am with the grand parade down U.S. Highway 12, led by the Rochester Scout Troop 317 color guard and Grand Marshal Jim Vosper, played down the route by pipes and drums from the Olympia Highlanders. Royalty will be well represented, with Oakville's own Oakville Independence Day Royalty Court showing off their "Oakville Community — Celebrating 120 Years" float, handbuilt from local timber donated by Mike Mitchell, joined by the Chehalis Tribal Royalty, Rochester Swede Day Royalty Cour, and McCleary Bear Festival Princesses.
A variety of other entries including community floats, cheer teams, equestrian groups, heavy equipment and a wealth of classic and exotic cars will round out the parade, capped off by the lights and sirens of Grays Harbor Fire District 1.
After the parade, the fun continues at the festival grounds on both sides of U.S. Highway 12 between Center and Allen streets.
Attendees can peruse the entries in the Scoot the Route car show, celebrating its fifth anniversary, while munching on goodies from Oak Burger, Blanquita's Deli, Wild Heart Cool Cart, Roden Kettle Corn and Kona Ice.
Live classic rock and oldies from The Pleasure Hounds will set the tone from noon to 4 p.m., while a field of local vendors offer their wares on the south side of the highway.
For children, there will be a Kids Zone at Oakville Community Center for fun booths offered by Timberland Regional Library, Rochester Scouts, The Dancehouse, Grays Harbor Fire District 1 and more. The Talking Cedar Beer Garden will also be open to those 21 and older..
Additionally, the Oakville Regional Event Center has junior rodeo events both Saturday and Sunday with free admission.
Want to join the parade, car show, or both? Day-of registration is offered for the parade and car show from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 5, in front of Oakville School at 200 School St.
For more information, visit the Oakville Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OakvilleCoC.
