Friday, July 3, 2026  •  Vol. 17

The 250th Starts Tonight

Street dance at Davis Park, parade chairs at noon, surprise noodles, and one very patriotic dog statue. Let's go.

Ridgefield. It's almost noon which means your parade chairs can legally touch pavement now. This is not a drill. Details below.

Quick story for the newer folks: I grew up in New Jersey, where fireworks were illegal and the Fourth meant putting your blanket down at dusk and watching whichever group got the contract that year. Maybe a sparkler if your parents were feeling reckless. Then I moved here, and my first Fourth in Washington felt like World War 3 had started and nobody warned me. A whole state where they just... sell them. To anyone. In a grocery store parking lot.

Usually we run off to Seaside for the holiday — its own brand of chaos, so many fireworks the beach disappears into smoke — but this year is America's 250th and there is no way I'm missing Ridgefield's version of it. We're staying, we're street dancing, and Zeeva is already side-eyeing me about the whole thing. See you out there.

— Shannon Hayes

The News

Parade chairs go out at noon today — and you have to stay with them

If you're claiming parade real estate for tomorrow, chairs can go out starting at 12pm today, and the rules say you need to stay with your chairs until 6pm. So pack a book, bring a friend, make it a hangout — an unattended chair at 2pm is not a guaranteed chair.

Full rules are on the flyer below, and the complete weekend schedule — parade route included — is in our 4th of July guide.

Read the full 4th of July guide →

Surprise: Cheeky Noodles is open

Cheeky Noodles dropped a last-minute soft opening announcement yesterday at 2pm, and just like that, we have a new place to eat in town. Regular hours have them opening at 11am — which means by the time you finish reading this, the noodles are on.

And honestly, with this cool, cloudy, extremely unsummery summer we've been having, a bowl of comforting pasta sounds exactly right. Go welcome them to the neighborhood — soft openings are when new spots need the love most.

City offices are closed today — and no, you can't light fireworks tonight

City offices are closed today, Friday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day. Police, fire, and emergency services are all still available — but please only call 911 for actual emergencies: fires, injuries, or situations where lives are in danger.

For fireworks complaints, use the CRESA fireworks hotline at 360-696-2264, available July 3 through July 5. And a reminder: fireworks are not legal to light tonight. Tomorrow at 9am, it's on.

Clark County fireworks laws, explained →

On the Site This Week

This Weekend

The Buzz

What we're watching in 98642.

👀 That fireworks tent in the Rosauers lot is for a good cause. Sales benefit RHS Grad Night — so if you're stocking up anyway, your money is keeping seniors safe next June. Buy today, light tomorrow (9am, not before).

👀 Woodin You has a new greeter, and he's very committed to the holiday. Stop in today and say hi to the dog statue in his stars-and-stripes best — and remember they're closed tomorrow, so today's the day for any last-minute calming aids.

👀 Juxtaposition's everything-must-go sale keeps climbing. Some items are up to 60% off now. If you've been meaning to drop by, stop meaning to.

👀 The regulars are showing up for the 250th too. Ridgefield Wine Bar is pouring festive mimosas and Ridgefield Craft Brewing has live music this weekend. You know where to find them.

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