Rocking Rockets: TD Fourth Celebration Grows Beyond Fireworks

Stage Test - Our own Joshuah Albert took the stage this morning to give us a feel for what the concert venue will be like at Lewis & Clark Festival park in The Dalles on the Fourth of July from 5 to 10 p.m. Three bands, beer garden, NDN Tacos, Dad’s Sourdough, Craft Vendors and the Gorge’s best Fireworks display at 10 p.m.

The Dalles, Ore., June 30, 2026 — This is not just Oregon’s best fireworks show anymore.

The Fort Dalles Fourth and America 250 Celebration will bring a full evening of live music, food vendors, children’s activities, artisan booths and a regional beer garden to Lewis and Clark Festival Park on Saturday before ending with a 10 p.m. fireworks show over the Columbia River.

Beer garden will be on tap at the Lewis & Clark Festival park for the America 250 Celebration in The Dalles.

The main celebration runs from 5 to 10 p.m. and will feature food vendors, local makers, family-friendly activities and live performances by Whipsaw, The Strange Tones and That ’90s Band.

The Strange Tones take the middle of the bill with their surf rock, rockabilly and rhythm and blues. That 90’s Band headline with deep catalog of ‘90s rock.

The beer garden will include Freebridge Brewing, Double Mountain Brewery, Everybody’s Brewing, Backwoods Brewing Company, Solera Brewery and Ferment Brewing.

At 10 p.m., Western Display Fireworks will launch an approximately 20-minute fireworks show from a barge on the Columbia River. The display will be synchronized to music and is expected to be one of the largest Independence Day fireworks shows in the region.

Discover Rental’s Matt Larson, third from left, and sound man Skot Barker of Great Skot Productions, far right, built the stage and started erecting the stage lights for the America 250 celebration in Lewis & Clark Festival Park in The Dalles. Doors open at 5 p.m. on the Fourth of July.

Earlier in the day, the celebration begins with Rocket Run registration at 6:30 a.m. at Lewis and Clark Festival Park. Runners can choose 3K, 5K and 1-mile courses, with races beginning at 7 a.m. The annual fundraiser benefits youth athletics.

After the run, the community is invited to a free breakfast sponsored by McDonald’s of the Gorge, followed by free Yoga in the Park led by Pure Yoga instructors.

The annual Fourth of July Parade, presented by The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, begins at 10 a.m. and will feature community groups, businesses, decorated vehicles and patriotic displays through downtown.

After the parade, Gorge Winds Concert Band will perform near the chamber office. Visitors can also participate in Downtown Discovery Bingo, hosted by The Dalles Main Street, by visiting participating businesses, collecting stamps and entering for prizes while exploring downtown shops and restaurants.

That 90’s Band will headline the celebration with a catalog of ‘90s rock

This year’s celebration combines longtime Fourth of July traditions with new events organized through a partnership between Fort Dalles Fourth, The Dalles Main Street, The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of The Dalles and numerous community organizations.

Fort Dalles Fourth has organized the community fireworks display since reviving the tradition in 2014 after The Dalles went more than 20 years without a public Fourth of July fireworks show. Committee members say the event is made possible through donations, sponsorships and hundreds of volunteer hours throughout the year.

Organizers expect thousands of residents and visitors to attend the free community celebration at Lewis & Clark Festival Park, 110 Union Street, which also serves as The Dalles' official kickoff to the nationwide America 250 commemoration honoring the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In addition to its major presenting sponsor Columbia Gorge Affordable Homes, the Fort Dalles Fourth and America 250 Celebration is supported by dozens of community businesses and organizations. Community sponsors include the City of The Dalles, Bernert Barge Lines, Western Display Fireworks, Grocery Outlet, Pray Electric, Columbia Gorge Toyota & Honda, Gorge Winds Concert Band, Casa El Mirador, Hattenhauer Distributing, McDonald's of the Gorge, Meadow Outdoor Advertising, Spooky's Pizza, Cousins Country Inn, The Dalles Lions Club, Port of The Dalles, Pure Yoga, H2Oregon, Gorge Country Media, Pine Ridge Dental and Mattress World NW.