Party in park highlights another fun Fourth of July

Published 3:30 am Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Newcomers and regulars made a day of the Fourth of July in Carrie Blake Community Park celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with music, food, fireworks, and fun times.

The City of Sequim branded the event the Party at the Park with festivities starting with a joint concert between Sequim City Band and Peninsula Singers called “Sounds of America.”

“We always have a great time,” said band director Tyler Benedict. “This is one of our biggest concerts of the year and we’re just so happy to have the community turn out. We put in a lot of work and it’s great to have the community see that.”

This year marks the band’s 35th year, and for the July 4 show, they traced America’s musical journey through its history, honored service men and women, and played a few patriotic songs with the Peninsula Singers at the James Center for the Performing Arts.

Several concert-goers came in red, white, and blue attire with many saying they’ve made the show an annual tradition.

The Moog family attended the event for the first time, and they loved it, said father/husband Jeff Moog.

Along with the music, there were yard games, splash zone areas, food trucks, and a beer and wine garden in the park all leading up to fireworks at 10 p.m. on the south side of the park.

There was also a historical hands-on event called the America250 Experience Hall in the Guy Cole Event Center.

This was the first Independence Day in Sequim where fireworks are fully banned, following a decision years ago to prohibit the discharge of consumer fireworks in city limits, and a more recent decision to ban the sale of consumer fireworks.

Battalion Chief Chris Turner said Clallam County Fire District 3 had 33 calls on July 4 with one call for a smoke investigation north of Walmart but they were unable to find the source.

Medics also responded to one incident at Carrie Blake Community Park where a confetti popper was activated too close to a child’s ear, but no injuries were reported.

“All in all, it was a ‘typical’ shift with a steady flow of medical responses, lift assists, and welfare checks,” Turner said.

Peninsula Communications reports 21 calls were made to 911 about fireworks in Sequim on July 4 with five of those during the city’s fireworks show.

Sequim Police Chief Mike Hill reported that from July 3-5, officers received calls of 15 alleged fireworks violations, compared to 14 in 2025 and 2024, and 16 in 2023.

Of this year’s complaints, 14 were made between 2 p.m.-11:45 p.m. on July 4, and officers discovered five of the calls were for fireworks being set off outside Sequim city limits. Other calls were checked, and no violations were observed when officers arrived, Hill said.