Months of Planning, Sleepless Nights fuel 4th of July FREE Concert in The Dalles
The Dalles, Ore., June 22, 2026 — When The Dalles Main Street and Fort Dalles Fourth organizers announced a free concert featuring a nationally touring '90s rock tribute band, most are seeing the opportunity for a great concert before the fireworks.
What they didn't see were the months of meetings, fundraising, sponsorship requests, vendor recruitment and late-night phone calls that made it possible.
"This is a community-wide thing," organizers repeatedly stressed during planning meetings as volunteers are working through everything from entertainment contracts and food vendors to security plans and sponsor recognition.
Julie Wadsworth in Studio at CCCNews in Sept. 2025
Leading the effort are volunteers from The Dalles Main Street and the Fort Dalles Fourth joint committee, including Steve Light, Julie Wadsworth, Jocelyn Paris, , Matt Herriges, Gretchen Sharp and Kristi Timmons and Tom Peterson.
For Wadsworth and Light, one of the biggest challenges was securing entertainment during one of the busiest weekends of the year.
"I have literally, you guys, like two nights gone sleepless," Wadsworth told fellow organizers after contacting roughly 20 bands throughout the Pacific Northwest. "I'm trying."
Jocelyn Paris and Steve Light are also burning the midnight oil as it gets down to crunch time on the Fort Dalles Fourth activities.
The America 250 Community Celebration will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Lewis & Clark Festival Park, 110 Union St. in The Dalles.
Wadsworth described spending evenings researching performers and reaching out to bands already booked at festivals throughout the region.
The search ultimately led Wadsworth to That 90’s Band, a nationally recognized tribute act known for performing a catalog of some 300 hits from the 1990s that are sure to get people moving.
The results of her hard work led not to just one band, but three that are sure to entertain on America’s birthday.
Opening the evening will be Whipsaw, a Portland-based blues-punk duo featuring Henry Kammerer of Hillstomp on guitar and Noah Bernstein of The Taxpayers on percussion. Known for their raw energy, driving rhythms and gritty Northwest sound, Whipsaw has built a strong following in the PNW.
They will be followed by The Strange Tones, a Portland-based band known for its surf-inspired garage rock sound, high-energy performances and unique blend of rockabilly, rhythm and blues, and vintage rock influences.
Closing the evening will be Bend-based That 90's Band, a crowd favorite known throughout Central Oregon for recreating the soundtrack of a generation.
That 90’s Band
The group boasts a catalog of more than 300 songs and is known for its thick, robust sound, strong vocal harmonies and faithful performances of the decade's biggest radio hits. Their setlists regularly feature music from artists ranging from Harvey Danger and The Presidents of the United States of America to the era's most recognizable rock acts. The band performs frequently at popular Central Oregon venues including Silver Moon Brewing and Midtown Ballroom in Bend and tours throughout the Pacific Northwest, bringing audiences a high-energy celebration of 1990s music.
Gretchen Sharp
Organizers say the goal has always been larger than simply booking a concert.
The committee has worked to create a full-day experience that includes live music, family activities, food vendors, community engagement opportunities and fireworks over the Columbia River.
Light said planning discussions included crowd estimates of up to 1,500 people near the stage area alone, requiring careful attention to site layout, security and logistics.
The event's expanded footprint has also required coordination with sponsors, volunteers and local businesses. During planning meetings, Light and others discussed everything from stage placement and beer service to social media campaigns, vendor recruitment and community partnerships.
Matt Herriges has spent years on the Fort Dalles Fourth nonprofit group lighting off a Fireworks tradition in The Dalles that has brought the oohs and ahs for more than a decade.
Volunteer support remains one of the biggest needs.
"I personally think that our biggest challenge this whole thing is volunteers," Herriges told the group during one planning session.
That challenge is balanced by an outpouring of community support. Organizers noted that businesses, sponsors and community partners continue stepping forward to contribute equipment, services, funding and expertise to keep the celebration affordable and accessible.
For example, Skot Barker, has volunteered to provide the concert audio and lighting at no cost.
The result, organizers hope, will be more than a Fourth of July event.
They hope it becomes a gathering place where families can spend the day, enjoy live entertainment, connect with neighbors and celebrate Independence Day together along the Columbia River.
As July 4 approaches, volunteers continue final preparations.
For attendees, the celebration may last only a day.
For the people building it, the work has been underway for months.
The America 250 Community Celebration and Fort Dalles Fourth fireworks show are made possible through the generous support of Columbia Gorge Affordable Homes, Timmons Law PC, Optimist Printers, Freebridge Brewing, Meadow Outdoor Advertising, Hattenhauer Distributing Co., Spooky's Pizza & Sandwiches, Bernert Barge Lines, McDonald's of the Gorge, Approved Safe Storage, Grocery Outlet, Pray Electric, Columbia Gorge Toyota Honda, Cochenour Builders Inc., Cousins Country Inn, Western Display Fireworks, the City of The Dalles, CCCNews and Casa El Mirador.
