Waterfront Park set for big booms

POULSBO — Poulsbo’s 3rd of July promises to be a grand “Ole” tribute to the red, white and blue next Wednesday but with singers and musicians like Ole Sønsteli, Ole Petter Kampesveen, Ole Øystein Finsveen, Ole Ivar Kjernlie and Ole Ingvar Ringen on hand, the local celebration of America’s Independence will definitely have a Norwegian influence this year.

The “five Oles” and the remaining 40 members of the Vestre Gausdal Concert Band will be making their first-ever stop in Little Norway for the annual Fireworks on the Fjord, taking the stage at Kvelstad Pavilion from 3-5 p.m. to entertain crowds with traditional tunes.

As the sweet music fills the air though, sweet treats will be filling kids’ bellies during the highly popular eating contests on Anderson Parkway. From 3-6 p.m. tables will packed elbow-to-elbow with young contestants as they chew, slurp and gulp their way through Dairy Queen ice cream, Albertson’s watermelon and Domino’s pizza as fast as humanly possible.

After the watermelons have been mauled, adults will take their best shots as they compete in the seed spitting contest. Results vary as much as the wind but no matter what, only two shall be crowned (trumpets)... the 2002 King and Queen.

Our royal majesties will likely stick around the parkway because from 6:30-7 p.m. the Marine Silent Drill Team will be strutting their stuff and spinning their rifles in unison as a show of the intense training they endure on a daily basis.

Lady Liberty made a stop at the event last year but who knows what celebrities might show up this Wednesday as the annual kids costume parade marches on Anderson Parkway at 7 p.m. Line up for the Independence Day gathering takes place at 6:40 p.m.

From 8-10:15 p.m. hip tunes will get crowds rocking and rolling as the U.S. Navy Band Northwest “Passage” lets the riffs fly, playing favorites from the past four decades. The popular group will set the stage — or rather — the sky for the biggest booms over Liberty Bay.

Courtesy Ford’s colorful display is set to explode around 10:15 p.m. and truly helps the Community Event Productions program earn its title as “Fireworks on the Fjord.”

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