Fort Vancouver not only site for 4th of July fun

Check your calendar. The Fourth of July is coming up everywhere -- not just down at Fort Vancouver. Somehow or other, our historic site doesn't seem to own that date. The Fort's daylong Independence Day celebration is legendary, of course. And this year is shaping up to be yet another doozy -- with the always-popular Sing Fourth teen vocal contest kicking off many hours of live entertainment; children's parade, games, contests and many more family activities; plenty of food and drink for all, plus an Adult Beverage Pavilion that's only for some; and, at 10:05 p.m. sharp, the annual fireworks display that's famous far beyond the boundaries of Clark County. But the Fourth seems to happen here, there and everywhere. If you'd prefer to stay closer to home or try something different, here's a roundup of other local Independence Day celebrations.

Felida families

In this large, suburban, west-side Clark County neighborhood, it's all about kids and community. Felida has been hosting a kid-oriented Fourth of July gathering in its namesake park for years now, featuring community groups who are eager to teach children and their parents about health, safety, recreation, parks, volunteer opportunities, outdoor sports and much more. But the heart of the event is just a good old neighborhood parade and picnic -- with as many as 6,000 participants expected. Bring lawn chairs and picnic supplies. Wear red, white and blue. Decorate a bike or trike and get into the parade, which doesn't require registration and is open to nearly all comers -- except motorized vehicles, political campaigns, sales pitches and lobbed candy. Also barred from the parade are cyclists without helmets. Festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. with the national anthem. Line-up begins at 11 a.m. and the parade, led by one of Fire District 6's vintage engines, takes a short tour of the neighborhood north of the park. After the parade it's lunchtime -- with tons of fun still to be had until things wind down at 2 p.m. Provided for free will be snacks, fruit, bottled water and the music of the Vancouver Community Concert Band.

Yacolt mascot

The creature has been spotted fleeing into the underbrush south of Mount St. Helens -- or just striding purposefully off like he's late for a meeting -- and heard grunting, snorting, even screaming. But if you tilt an ear and listen more carefully, you can hear him whistling "Yankee Doodle Dandy." The remote town of Yacolt, where Bigfoot reportedly comes a-calling every once in a while, has already hosted its Bigfoot Fun Run for the year. But there's no running out of this mystery, so Yacolt has also themed its annual Fourth of July parade "Bigfoot -- The Myth, The Legend." It's possible that this will be the best-ever opportunity to get long, unimpeded looks at large, hairy, apelike creatures moving through town on Saturday morning. They won't be fleeing -- they'll be lapping up attention. Please note that the parade is set for Saturday, July 2. Lineup begins at Parcel Avenue and Yacolt Road at 8:30 a.m. and gets going at 10 a.m. Yacolt's annual fireworks follow on July 4 itself, starting at 9 p.m. at the North Clark Little League field, 202 W. Christy St.

'Team Ridgefield'

Fireworks are not on the menu for Ridgefield's 2016 Fourth of July. Why not? Because they're darned expensive and require tons of volunteer time, according to Sandy Schill, director of the annual festival, which is sponsored by the Port of Ridgefield but staffed entirely by volunteers. Really, Schill said, staging a daytime Fourth festival and then a nighttime fireworks show is tantamount to staging two separate events in one day -- with the pyrotechnic one requiring insurance and barricades, portable toilets and "twice as many volunteers," Schill said. "We had a good run for a while. If we could ever get as good a show as we used to have for the same cost, we'd think about bringing it back," she said. Fortunately, Ridgefield's other traditions will continue: The firefighters' pancake breakfast at Ridgefield Community Center, the fun runs and the kid zone in Refuge Overlook Park, the live music and dance party, the salmon barbecue, the arts and crafts. Most especially, the no-registration pre-parade starring kids and their pets, followed by the main Fourth of July parade -- one of Ridgefield's real claims to fame. This year's theme is "Go for the Gold -- Team Ridgefield."

Washougal waterfront

The Port of Camas-Washougal is proceeding apace on new, people-friendly infrastructure along the Washougal waterfront -- creating a park and eventually connecting via a pedestrian trail to the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge to the east. That's something to celebrate. But it won't be all done for a while. In the meantime, come celebrate Independence Day with the port's 15th annual Riverside Concert series, which gets underway on July 4 with food vendors, kids' activities, live music and fireworks. The very danceable Tracey Fordice Band starts at 6 p.m., delivering original rock 'n' roll, rhythm and blues and more; then, at 8:30 p.m., it's 5 Guys Named Moe, an 11-piece, horn-driven party band. Fireworks start at 10 p.m.