FORT DALLES FOURTH : LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!

Photo of past Fort Dalles Fourth Fireworks display in The Dalles courtesy Macnab Photography. This year’s show should be equally stunning.

By Tom Peterson

The gloves are coming off this weekend as The Dalles gets ready to rumble with a stellar set of Fourth of July festivities. 

Neighbor to neighbor, shoulder to shoulder. 

Volunteers have blown it out of the sky raising thousands of dollars to bring one of the premier fireworks displays in the entire Northwest with 22 plus minutes of bang and blast, oohs and ahs.

“Support has been great,” said Matt Herriges who sits on the Fort Dalles Fourth Committee. “We’re starting to see support from other organizations as businesses and organizations are seeing the opportunity to create events that really grow the overall event and draw people to town.”

Herriges said he recently received a donation from a man from Portland who saw the display in 2020 and was shaken by how good it was. 

“He said the show was incredible and he had a great time visiting family and celebrating. There are so many people like this and if we give them a lot of events to come to there will be a lot more.”

The Dalles is likely one of the best places to view a large fireworks display in Oregon given the safety of setting them off in the Columbia River and the major bend in the river that creates a huge natural amphitheater with vantage points throughout town, Herriges said.

And he is stoked about the Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce putting together the Hometown USA 4th of July Parade.

“It’s great to see the Chamber jump in,” he said.

And that’s just one part of the Fourth Of July Puzzle. 

Here is the rest via the Fort Dalles Fourth Marketing group: 

 GET READY TO ROCKET RUN
Kick your 4th of July off with the Rocket Run with 3k, 5k, and 10k race options! The race begins at Bargeway Pub, 1535 Bargeway Road. Registration opens at 6:30am. Or get another 15 minutes of shut eye by pre-registering at https://www.fireworksinthedalles.com/ Cost to run is $20.

GRAB SOME GRUB AT COMMUNITY BREAKFAST   

Please join us at Bargeway Pub outdoor dining area for a 4th of July community breakfast AT 8 a.m. - sponsored by Cochenour Builders and our local McDonalds!  This is a completely free breakfast (donations are greatly appreciated) We can't wait to see you all there!

 FESTIVE POSES FOR THE FOURTH

Join Shannon Red Cloud, founder of Pure Yoga in The Dalles, for a free stretch  at the Bargeway Pub starting at 9 a.m. 

GET YOUR LAWN CHAIR AND BRING YOUR CANDY CHASERS

The Hometown USA 4th of July Parade begins at 10 a.m. and follows the traditional parade route on Third and Second streets. The entire parade route is below in the graphic. . Classic cars, floats, freebies, politicians and our first real chance to get together as a community for more than 15 months. High fives and squirt guns.  

FORT DALLES FOURTH FIREWORKS SHOW - 10 P.M.

Fireworks are set off from a Bernert Barg Lines barge near the Union Street Underpass. 

10 p.m. start time. 

The Fort Dalles Fourth Committee is made up of Herriges, Gretchen Sharp, Cynthia Kortge, Andrew Stanek, Andy Frater, Cody Miller, Marty Hiser and Sally Miner. Each year the group puts in hundreds of hours to organize the fundraising and show. The group has been active for years helping to replace the events of the now-defunct Fort Dalles Rodeo. 

Bernert Barge Lines lends use of a barge, crane and staff to load the 10-inch cannons every year for the fireworks display. It cuts thousands of dollars off the cost of the show.

That’s a big one - loading the cannons in past years with mortars that fill the air with delight.

Here is the fallout zone for the fireworks. Good to know if you are planning to view from a boat.

Bernert Barge Lines in The Port of The Dalles has donated use of their barge for launching the rockets for years as well. They typically anchor the boat in the river between the Union Street Dock and The Dalles Marina based on wind conditions. Their contributions easily cuts costs for the display by more than $10,000.

VETERAN BANNERS STILL AVAILABLE, PURCHASE SUPPORTS FIREWORKS

Have a Military Veteran you'd like to honor or have remembered year after year in our historic downtown?

Put them on a light pole downtown The Dalles.

Get a photo/information and contact Optimist Printers. 541-296-2954 to have one made in time for this year's banner season which goes through September.

Banner prices are $199 or 3 years for $395.

After 3 years, banners achieve "legacy" status and can go up with a $99 individual donation or community fundraise for the FD4 community fireworks display.

HUGE THANKS TO SPONSORS

The Fort Dalles Fourth display was also made possible by Cochenour Builders, Columbia Gorge Toyota, Columbia Gorge Affordable Homes, First Interstate Bank, Timmons Law PC, Optimist Printers, Cousins Country Inn, Meadow Outdoor Advertising, Hattenhauer Distributing Co., Kortge Wheat & Cattle Co., City of The Dalles, Westwind Frame & Gallery, Spooky’s Pizza and Sandwiches, Grocery Outlet bargain market and Western Display Fireworks.  

Fort Dalles Fourth receives $25,000 from the City of The Dalles transient room tax funds and then matches it through fundraising and sponsorships. 

Photo courtesy Amanda Lea.