America250 celebrations set to fill Southwest Washington with patriotic events

From Fort Vancouver to Yacolt, Clark County communities mark America’s 250th with parades, fireworks, and family festivals. File photo

Many of this year’s events carry a special emphasis on America’s 250th anniversary, blending historical reflection with patriotic celebrations that include children’s parades, live entertainment, gatherings, fireworks displays and other activities

The Reflector Newspaper

Clark County communities will celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday with parades, festivals, fireworks and family activities across the region during the Fourth of July holiday.

From Vancouver’s America250 celebration at Fort Vancouver to old and new community traditions in Ridgefield, Battle Ground, Camas, Washougal, Yacolt and other cities, residents will have numerous opportunities to commemorate the semiquincentennial of the United States while enjoying local events.

The Ridgefield Fourth of July Celebration includes a morning fun run, the annual Fourth of July parade at 11 a.m., live entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors, arts and crafts booths, games and family activities throughout downtown. File photo

Many of this year’s events carry a special emphasis on America’s 250th anniversary, blending historical reflection with patriotic celebrations that include children’s parades, live entertainment, gatherings, fireworks displays and other activities designed to bring neighbors together. The following events are scheduled throughout Clark and Cowlitz counties during the holiday weekend:

• • Historic Trust’s America250 Celebration: 12 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday, July 3, at the Fort Vancouver Parade Grounds, 1115 E. Fifth St., Vancouver. The free community celebration of America’s 250th birthday will feature live music, family games and activities, food vendors, guided tours of the Marshall House, historic weapons demonstrations and an outdoor screening of “A League of Their Own” to close the evening. More information can be found at thehistorictrust.org/calendar/america-250-celebration.
• • Friends of the Woodland Community Library 250th Anniversary Event: 1.-3 p.m., Friday, July 3, at the Woodland Library, 411 Lakeshore Drive. The free event will include music, performances, snacks and contests for kids and teens.
• • One Community, Many Hands, Celebrating America’s 250th: 5-8 p.m. Friday, July 3, in downtown Camas. The community celebration is organized as part of the America 250 observance and will feature family-friendly activities, local organizations, historical exhibits and opportunities for residents to reflect on the community’s past while looking towards the future. More information can be found at downtowncamas.com/event/july-camas-first-friday.
• • Maddox July 3 Family Celebration: 4-10 p.m. Friday, July 3, at Maddox Industrial Transformer, 1601 SE Commerce Ave., Battle Ground. The free annual event commemorates both America’s 250th anniversary and Battle Ground’s 75th anniversary with games, activities, a new children’s zone for little ones ages 5 and under, food vendors — including free hot dogs, ice cream, water and more — a children’s parade at 7:30 p.m., stage entertainment at 9 p.m. and a fireworks display after the national anthem at 9:45 p.m. For more information, visit bgjuly3.org.
• • Ridgefield Fourth of July Celebration: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, July 4, in downtown Ridgefield. The longtime community celebration includes a morning fun run, the annual Fourth of July parade at 11 a.m., live entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors, arts and crafts booths, games and family activities throughout downtown. For more information, visit ridgefield4th.org.
• • Yacolt Freedom Parade and Rendezvous Days 2026: 5:30 p.m., Friday, July 3, opening ceremonies followed by a kickball tournament at the North Clark Little League fields, 721 North Amboy Ave., Yacolt. 8 a.m., Saturday, July 4, Bigfoot 5k and 10k runs at recreation park. The parade begins at 10 a.m., July 4, at Railroad Ave., and West Hoag Street, working its way through downtown. Family activities, including Chalk Art Contest, will be available at Central Park after the parade. For more information, visit shorturl.at/lSOM4.
• • Pomeroy Farm Kids’ Fest: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday, July 4, and Sunday, July 5, Pomeroy Farms, 20902 NE Lucia Falls Road, Yacolt. Browse local vendors, shop the children’s market and tour the farm’s historic buildings during the annual Farm Days event. Kid-centric activities will be available, such as face painting and pony rides. Admission is $3 per person, and free for children aged 5 and under. For more information, visit pomeroyfarm.org/farm-days.
• Fourth of July Non-Motorized Kids Parade: 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Saturday, July 4, at Hathaway Park, 732 25th Street, Washougal. The free annual parade invites children and families to decorate and ride bicycles, scooters, wagons, strollers, wheelchairs and other non-motorized vehicles in an Independence Day-themed procession through the park. No registration is required, and patriotic costumes and decorations are encouraged. More information is available at cityofwashougal.us/825/4th-of-July-Parade.
• Two Rivers Heritage Museum offers events from noon-4 p.m. on Sat., July 4. Volunteers will hold a History’s Mysteries Scavenger Hunt to help bring history to life. see  2rhm.com; https://cityofwashougal.us/855/America-250.
• Go 4th Festival in Longview: July 2-4 at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview. The three-day festival features live entertainment, food and marketplace vendors, the cardboard boat regatta, family activities and one of Southwest Washington’s largest Independence Day celebrations. The July 4 highlights include the annual parade beginning at 10 a.m. through downtown Longview and a fireworks show scheduled for 10:15 p.m. over Lake Sacajawea. Festival activities generally run from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. throughout the event. For a complete schedule and more information, visit go4thfestival.org.

This report was first published by The Reflector Newspaper.

Also read: