For 34 years, people from near and far have flocked to the Washington waterfront to celebrate the advent of summer—a few weeks in advance.

This weekend, the Washington Summer Festival is back, with a slew of activities starting on Friday night, extending into late Saturday. The festival officially opens at 5 p.m., with food, arts and crafts and amusements all along Stewart Parkway. Festival Park will take the limelight at 7 p.m., with a concert by The Embers, featuring Washington native and Embers frontman Craig Woolard. The evening will be capped off with a fireworks display, sponsored by Bojangles, at 10 p.m.

According to Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Catherine Glover, organizers continue to put the focus on keeping the event local, recruiting vendors from closer to home.

“We have a total of 87 vendors this year. Thirty-six of those are local vendors; 16 of those are nonprofits doing fundraisers. Another 16 are from neighboring areas like Greenville and New Bern — so they’re close,” Glover said.

From Old Ford Ruritan Club selling hot dogs to Vidant Beaufort Hospital performing free health screenings and Team Infinite, a local travel team, selling refreshing drinks, there will be plenty of local presence, in addition to the commercial vendors usually seen at street festivals, Glover said.

New this year is CW Trials Bicycle Stunt Show, which Glover described as “amazing.” Another highlight will be the opportunity to dig for fossils, courtesy of the Aurora Fossil Museum.

“They can dig for shark’s teeth and somebody (from the museum) will be there explaining what they find,” she said.

The Washington Farmer’s Market will continue as scheduled, from 8 a.m. to noon, at the corner of Water and Bonners streets.

 

WASHINGTON SUMMER FESTIVAL

Friday

Stewart Parkway, 5 – 10 p.m.

Summer Festival T-shirt sales, food, arts and crafts, amusements

Festival Park, 7 – 10 p.m.

The Embers featuring Craig Woolard, sponsored by PotashCorp-Aurora

Washington waterfront, 10 p.m.

Bojangles’ Fireworks Display

 

Saturday

Stewart Parkway, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Summer festival T-shirt sales, food, arts and crafts, amusements

Stewart Parkway, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

All-you-can-ride amusements for $20

Chamber’s First South Bank Community Deck, 10 – 11 a.m.

Princess and Superhero meet and greet with 3 Wishes and a Hero

Chamber Parking Lot, 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

CW Trials bicycle stunt show

Waterfront, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Little Washington Sailing School boat rides (free)

Turnage Theatre, noon to 3 p.m.

Free sunflower craft for children

Festival Park, 6 – 8 p.m.

Live Music from Eli Craig Band