60th Annual Armed Forces Festival

60th Annual Armed Forces Festival
Schedule of Events


Bremerton, Washington - The Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the schedule of events for the 60th Annual Armed Forces Festival. The festival includes the nation’s largest and longest-running Armed Forces Day Parade.

The year’s theme is “Saluting Those Who Serve”.

7:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 30
Puget Sound Energy Armed Forces Festival
Ambassadors Program
Naval Undersea Museum, Keyport
FREE
Five outstanding students from throughout Kitsap County will compete for more than $7,000 in scholarships and cash awards. The featured speech is based on an interview the candidates have conducted with either a military veteran or someone who was born in another country and chose to become an American citizen.

Admission is free, however, the candidates have tickets available. The candidate who has the most tickets redeemed at the event wins a $100 cash prize.

11:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 13
Armed Forces Festival Luncheon
Keynote speaker: Admiral Symonds,
Commanding Officer, Navy Region Northwest
Tucker’s at Gold Mountain Golf Complex
$17 in advance, $20 after May 6
Admiral James Symonds, Commanding Officer, Navy Region Northwest, is the featured speaker at this event, which is open to the public.
Cost is $17 in advance, $20 after the May 6 reservation deadline. Contact the Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce at (360) 479-3579 or chamber@bremertonchamber.org for reservations.
Friday, May 16
Pepsi Armed Forces Festival Golf Tournament
Cascade Course, Gold Mountain Golf Complex
$400 for a foursome
Half price ($200) for uniformed military personnel
(active duty and reserve)
This is one of the region’s most popular golf tournaments and is held at Gold Mountain Golf Complex, an award-winning facility. $400 for a foursome includes greens fees, putting and chipping contests, lunch and a chance to win a new vehicle in the hole-in-one contest.

Sponsors include:
Event – Bremerton Pepsi Company
Banquet – Land Title Company of Kitsap County
Birdie – Sabelhaus West
Chipping – Harrison Medical Center
Putting – EHT Enterprises, Inc.
Hole-In-One – Thomas Lincoln Mercury & Advantage Nissan

Once again, the tournament features a “tournament-within-a-tournament”. The top military team will win special prizes in addition to being eligible for prizes in the main tournament.

Two shotgun starts are featured this year: 7:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. An awards dinner will begin immediately following the afternoon round.

This tournament usually sells out so early reservations are highly recommended. Contact the Bremerton Chamber at (360) 479-3579 or chamber@bremertonchamber.org for reservations and information.


Saturday, May 17 - Armed Forces Day

7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Bremerton Central Lions Pancake Breakfast
Fourth Street, between Washington and Pacific
Masonic Lodge Pancake Breakfast
Fifth & Warren

9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Peninsula Community Health Services Smile Rescuers
Sixth and Pacific
Activities for kids, teens and adults focus on dental hygiene and good clean fun.

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Kitsap County Historical Society Museum
280 Fourth Street
Featuring hands-on activities for kids.

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
USS Turner Joy
Adjacent to the Louis Mentor Memorial Boardwalk
Open for tours all day.

10:00 a.m.
60th Annual American Financial Solutions
Armed Forces Day Parade
Downtown Bremerton
More than 150 marching units including nearly two dozen bands as well as military and veteran marching units will parade through the streets of downtown Bremerton to celebrate Armed Forces Day. The newly selected Armed Forces Festival Ambassadors will also make their first public appearance.

This year’s parade features Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations, as the Grand Marshal.

The parade will also be broadcast live on Bremerton Kitsap Access Television.

The parade begins at the corner of Fourth and Warren, heading east to Pacific Avenue. The parade turns north on Pacific, west on Sixth Street and north on Park where it disburses.

A special parade entry is being coordinated for veterans wounded in combat. The first 25 people to contact the Chamber may participate. Participants must be able to climb into the back of an antique military transport vehicle. Contact the Chamber at (360) 479-3579 or chamber@bremertonchamber.org to reserve a space.

Noon to 4:00 p.m.
Heroes Barbecue
Fourth Street, between Washington and Pacific
Military personnel, dependents, retirees and the entire community are invited to enjoy a free barbecue lunch. This is a terrific opportunity to meet heroes who have served in the past and thank those who are currently serving.

Meals are courtesy of local high school students, Bremerton Central Lions Club, Costco, East Bremerton Rotary, Harrison Medical Center and members of the Bremerton Area and Port Orchard Chambers of Commerce.

1:00 p.m.
Advanced Acoustic Concepts Military Culinary Arts Competition
Bremer Student Center, Olympic College
KCPQ 13’s M.J. McDonald is hosting this popular culinary event. Military chefs and culinary specialists from throughout the Puget Sound Region will compete in the Military Culinary Arts Competition. Fabulous cakes, dazzling ice sculptures and an Iron Chef competition are also featured. After the entries are judged, audience members may enjoy the fruits of the chefs’ labor.

6:00 p.m.
Navy League Gala
Admiral Theatre, 515 Pacific Avenue
$45 per person
The Bremerton/Olympic Council of the Navy League is hosting a dinner and show with a keynote speech presented by Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations. Entertainment is Danny Vernon’s “Illusion of Elvis” show.

Tickets for the Gala, which includes dinner, are $45 and tickets for the 8:00 p.m. show are $15 per person. Tickets may be purchased from the Admiral Theatre box office (373-6743).


Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Kitsap HydroFest on Kitsap Lake
Personal watercraft races on Kitsap Lake.


For information about the Armed Forces Festival, contact the Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce at (360) 479-3579 or chamber@bremertonchamber.org.


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The Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit membership organization founded in 1907. For years, Bremerton has had the reputation of hosting the nation’s largest and longest-running Armed Forces Day celebration. The Chamber began celebrating Armed Forces Day two years before Congress created the national holiday honoring active duty and reserve military personnel.


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Media Contact
Silvia Klatman, Executive Director
Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 229, Bremerton, WA, 98337
(360) 479-3579
silvia@bremertonchamber.org