For nearly six decades, the Grand Old 4th has been a cornerstone Bainbridge Island tradition, bringing together generations of islanders, local businesses, volunteers, and visitors in celebration of community, connection, and Independence Day.

Since its founding in 1967, the event has been organized and produced by the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, whose leadership and community partnerships have helped shape the celebration into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most beloved hometown festivals.

Before the Grand Old 4th existed, Bainbridge Island’s primary summer celebration was the Strawberry Festival, a tradition deeply connected to the island’s agricultural roots and Japanese American farming community. Following World War II and the forced incarceration of Japanese American residents, the festival gradually faded, leaving the island without a major community summer event for many years.

In 1967, longtime island resident, businessman, and volunteer firefighter Arnie Jackson partnered with the Chamber to help create a new tradition for Bainbridge Island. What began as a small community parade and gathering quickly grew through the efforts of local volunteers, service organizations, businesses, and civic leaders who worked together to build an event centered around community pride and local involvement.

The early celebrations were humble but deeply personal to the island. Community members helped build vendor booth structures by hand, local organizations filled the parade route, and downtown Winslow became the heart of the festivities. In those early years, Bainbridge Island’s population was only a small fraction of what it is today, creating the feeling that nearly the entire community participated in some way.

As Bainbridge Island grew, so did the Grand Old 4th. Through the decades, the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commercecontinued evolving the event alongside the changing needs of the community, expanding the street fair footprint, incorporating Waterfront Park, supporting local nonprofits and businesses, and creating new traditions for future generations.

Today, the Grand Old 4th welcomes tens of thousands of attendees each year and stands as one of the largest and longest-running community celebrations in the region. While the event has evolved over the past 59 years, its foundation remains the same: a community-driven celebration made possible through the leadership of the Chamber, the dedication of volunteers, and the support of countless local partners, businesses, sponsors, and families who continue the tradition year after year.

More than just a Fourth of July celebration, the Grand Old 4th reflects the spirit of Bainbridge Island itself: community-centered, volunteer-powered, and built through generations of local connection.