Coulee Dam | Grand Coulee Dam Visitors Guide

fireworksdamIMG_7819 — Cell phones and digital cameras try to capture the fireworks, as the moon pops up in the background above Grand Coulee Dam during the 2011 fireworks off the top of the dam.

Celebration planned for 4th of July

Everyone likes a good, old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration.

You can enjoy one this week, the “Festival of America” a three-day affair, right here in the Grand Coulee Dam area.

The celebration kicks off on Thursday, July 4, with music in the park below the Visitor Center.

There’s lots to do. A number of craft booths will offer goods and several food booths will fix a summer-time lunch or dinner for you.

The music will take you right up to the Laser Light Show time. And to cap it all off, about 10:30 p.m., there will be the giant fireworks display right off the top of Grand Coulee Dam on July 4.

elvisseguradamIMG_7630s — Award winning Elvis impersonator Steve Sogura headlines this year’s show, joined by the Cruizers with classic rock, Kathy Boyd & Phoenix Rising with bluegrass and more.

Music in the park continues Friday and Saturday, as do the craft and food booths, with tours of the dam and Laser Light Show adding to the celebration.

The chamber of commerce has added a number of family-friendly games, good for all ages, at this year’s celebration.

Plus, this year the community will see the debut of the sport of roller derby in this area. Teams from around the state will come for a demonstration skrimmage July 5 at North Dam Park in Grand Coulee.

The Festival of America is sponsored by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Coulee Dam Casino, with music arranged for by the town of Coulee Dam.

All the particulars are in a special “Festival of America” celebration section below.

A series of free concerts is scheduled for North Dam Park and events center this month, starting on Friday, Aug. 17.

And the Wednesday night before that, bull riding fans can get their fix of “beer, burgers and bulls” in a special event at the Ridge Riders Rodeo Grounds.

The rodeo grounds open at 6 p.m., Aug. 15, for what could become a frequent event next year. Bull riding begins at 7 p.m.
Then on Friday night, a local rock group called Mister Meaner will take to the “stage” at the bottom of the grass amphitheater.
The very next evening a cool trio from Spokane, The 45s, will rock your Saturday night with a rockabilly sound. Think “The Stray Cats” and you’ll come to close to hearing this fun band.

The next weekend starts with a Friday night concert by Thirsty Perfect, a Coeur D’Alene, Idaho Christian rock band, sponsored by Faith Commu

nity Church. The next night Mister Meaner hopes the word will have spread, and you’ll bring your friends back for a good time.

Labor Day weekend kicks of Aug. 31 with a big-name band in the Pacific Northwest — Jr. Cadillac. Folks who gathered for their concert in the park last year had a great time, and said they wanted more.
Saturday night, Sept. 1, will see another encore from a band that proved popular last year. “33” bills itself as the loudest band in Spokane. By the way, we should do something to welcome back Joe Oliver that night, a band member originally from the coulee.

The series is sponsored by the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerce, which is advertising it across the state and paying for it with the help of tourism tax dollars from Electric City, Grand Coulee and Coulee Dam.