Family-friendly festivals on the Long Beach Peninsula
LONG BEACH PENINSULA, WASH.
— The Long Beach Peninsula
delivers an array of festivals and
events ideally suited to vacation-
ing families. Starting with Sum-
merFest, family entertainment
and activities include a beach
walk or run, parades, sand sculp-
ture competitions, kite demon-
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more.
Each weekend now through
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street entertainers, hands-on ac-
tivities, live music and more as
part of Long Beach’s ongoing
SummerFest series. Activities
can be experienced in Fish Pan
Alley, in pocket parks in down-
town Long Beach and on the
stage in Veterans Field.
Making their annual tour, Tall
Ships are scheduled to call at the
Port of Ilwaco. Lady Washington
will tie up from Friday, May 29
through Tuesday, June 2. Tick-
eted visitors are welcome to go
aboard to learn the workings of
a tall ship, sing sea shanties and
hear maritime tales. Hawaiian
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ee
A partm ents
Chieftain and Lady Washington
are slated for additional visits
July 6 through 8 and August 27
through 29.
The entire family (children
in strollers and dogs on leashes
included) is invited to participate
in the Beach to Chowder 5K
and 10K walk/run, on Saturday,
June 20. The event starts under
the “World’s Longest Beach”
arch on the Bolstad beach ac-
cess, Long Beach. Awards with
medals and steaming bowls of
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Discovery Trail Half Marathon
will be run that same morning.
Access http://beachtochowder.
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ments, carnival rides, blue ribbon
competitions, fair food and more
to Menlo, Aug. 26 through 29.
About the Long
Beach Peninsula
With its mix of restaurants,
ultra-fresh seafood, welcom-
ing and pet-friendly lodging,
museums, lighthouses, trails,
parks and a 28-mile long,
white-sand beach, the Long
Beach Peninsula continues
to be one of the Northwest’s
most enjoyable family destina-
tions. Located two hours from
Portland and three from Seat-
tle, the Long Beach Peninsu-
la is a longtime favorite for
those seeking easily accessible
outdoors, a variety of family
friendly restaurants, histori-
cal attractions and more. For
event and visitor information,
call the Long Beach Penin-
sula Visitors Bureau at 800-
451-2542 or access www.fun-
beach.com
Photo by Damian Mulinix
Fireworks reflect off the water of the Ilwaco harbor.
July events
Independence Day is cele-
brated in a big way on the Long
Beach Peninsula. Firework dis-
plays take place in Ilwaco on
July 3 and in Long Beach on July
4. Children are invited to partic-
ipate in an Old Fashioned 4th of
July Parade in Ocean Park also
on July 4.
Following the celebrations,
the Grassroots Garbage Gang
invites everyone to tidy up at one
of three annual beach cleanups
scheduled for July 5.
Sandsations will bring gi-
gantic-scale sandbox whimsy to
Long Beach, July 15 through 19.
During the week, expert sculp-
tures will be on hand for demos
and instruction. July 18 is the big
day with a Sand Sculpting Ex-
travaganza on the beach near the
Long Beach boardwalk. Fam-
ilies are welcome to enter the
competition.
Photo by Lynette Rae McAdams
The Beards Hollow Ocean Overlook, on Washington State Route 100 scenic loop in Ilwaco
offers an amazing view.
Photo by Natalie St. John
Participants attempt a synchronized banner dip during a parade on the Long Beach Peninsula.
August events
D ow ntow n A storia’s
M ost Respected
A partm ent Com plex
Since 1969.
1046 Grand Avenue
Astoria, OR 97103
503-325-2280
A multigenerational family
favorite, the colorful Washington
State International Kite Festi-
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kite-making classes, amateur
and professional competitions,
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sions and more from Aug. 17
to 23. Activities will take place
along the Bolstad Ave. beach
access and parallel to the Long
Beach boardwalk.
An hour’s drive from the
Long Beach Peninsula, the clas-
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farm animals, gardening, amuse- Long Beach Peninsula beaches are packed watching fireworks displays.
22 | May 28, 2015 | coastweekend.com
Photo by Damian Mulinix