Celebrations were held for Independence Day across Lewis County and nearby areas over the weekend, with each community adding its own flavor to the holiday with festivals, flea markets, fishing competitions, parades and more.
In the late morning on Saturday, parades were held in Oakville and Mossyrock followed by a rodeo in Oakville and Mossyrock’s annual Freedom Festival, which hosted vendors, a pie-eating contest, wiener dog races and more.
The latter half of the Freedom Festival parade was composed mostly of political floats. The Mossyrock Area Action League, which plans the Blueberry Festival each year, created the Independence Day weekend festival in 2021.
Starting on Saturday evening from downtown Packwood, the annual fireworks show lasted over a half hour, dazzling the sky in the East Lewis County town for residents and tourists to enjoy freely.
The Packwood show first began many years ago as a family affair put on by Fire Chief Lonnie Goble, who also owns the Packwood Chevron. Eventually, the celebration expanded to include the entire town. It is now run by Goble’s family across the street from the fire station through an all-volunteer, donated effort.
On Saturday evening, cars lined U.S. Highway 12 to watch the show as RVs and semi-trucks drove by with horns honking. Shortly before the show, a trumpet player stood in the field beside the fire station to play the Star-Spangled Banner.
Mineral Lake was also the backdrop for a Saturday night show, which is put on from a barge on the lake each year, organized by community volunteers.
The Big Bottom Blast fireworks show in Randle came the following night and a flea market was held in Randle from Friday through Monday.
Sunday also brought the beginning of Centralia’s Summerfest, with events being held at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds throughout the day ahead of Monday’s Fourth of July parade.
In Pe Ell, a parade on Monday ran through the town before a fireworks display was held at dusk.
Check out Thursday’s edition of The Chronicle for more on Summerfest.
