Fireworks are shown at Bass Lake Photo courtesy Visit Yosemite Madera County
As the USA prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, people in EMC are ready for fun.
“I remember the bicentennial celebration for America’s 200th birthday, although I was pretty young,” said Rhonda Salisbury, CEO of Visit Yosemite Madera County.
“I really want to recreate those feelings throughout our small towns in Madera County. We want visitors and locals to feel America’s 250th spirit all over our region.”
Between the bevy of beautiful art banners lining roads in Coarsegold, Oakhurst, North Fork and Bass Lake and the flag-colored bunting decorating businesses around the area, Eastern Madera County is dressed up and ready to party with patriotic pride.
Bass Lake festivities
Bass Lake will be bustling with parades by land and lake on Independence Day weekend, starting on Friday, July 3 with a Patriotic Parade at The Pines Village at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, July 4, guests can enjoy barbecues, live music, a parade of boats and a fantastic fireworks display sponsored by the Bass Lake Chamber of Commerce to close out the evening.
Revelers are pictured at a 4th of July Boat Parade at Bass Lake. Photo courtesy Steve Montalto, HighMountain Images
While you’re out and about, pick up a collectible and commemorative “Celebrating 250” Bass Lake T-shirt with a $25 donation to the Bass Lake Chamber.
The Boat Parade begins at 7 p.m. and fireworks start at 9 p.m.
The 4th of July Boat Parade launches near the entrance of Willow Cove and motors toward The Pines Resort, loops around near The Forks Resort and heads back toward the dam.
The decorated boats pass by Miller’s Landing Resort for judging around 7:30-8 p.m. Visitors can watch the parade route from the shoreline beaches in an anchored boat.
Prizes are awarded for first and second place entries. About 25 boats were already regis- tered at press time; to join in the parade call Miller’s Landing.
No boat? No problem. The Forks Resort and Miller’s Landing Resort both offer amenities including rentals of a whole bunch of different types of waterborne vessels along with delicious food and frosty beverages.
Participants are shown having fun and working hard at the Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree. Photo courtesy North Fork Boosters
Visit www.TheForksResort and www.millerslanding.com for more.
The fireworks will be set off as usual from a barge between The Pines and The Forks.
Other than the professional public display of fireworks, all others are illegal. This includes “safe and sane” fireworks and sparklers; all are prohibited in Eastern Madera County per CAL FIRE and the Madera County Sheriff’s Office.
The evening kicks off with the Pines Resort offering a buffet dinner, live music and a front row seat to the fireworks. For details and tickets, visit www.BassLake.com
The Bass Lake Marina Bar & Grill, meanwhile, invites guests to their Flip Flops & Fireworks BBQ with live music, photo booth, games, fireworks and more. For details and tickets, visit www.BassLakeBoatRentals.com
Historic Loggers Jamboree
Westbrook Wine Farm will release a special blend for Independence Day.
The 66th annual Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree is set for July 4-5 at the North Fork Recreation Center. This year’s theme of “Timber and Tradition” pays tribute to the loggers of times past and those still keeping the tradition alive today.
All proceeds from the Jamboree go into the North Fork Boosters General Fund to keep local facilities and programs running yearly.
Jamboree sports include tree falling, double bucking, ax throw, ladies ax throw, choker setting, ladies power saw, Jack and Jill, stock power saw, hot power saw, hand chopping, speed ax and birling.
North Fork’s own Nate Hodges has won the Champion Logger title a total of 16 times so far.
In addition to that record, Hodges is also a past Stihl Timpersports World Champion and currently an entrepreneur with his Yosemite Axe Throwing business in Oakhurst and elsewhere. Visit www.YosemiteAxe.com for locations and information.
In addition to amateur and professional logging competitions (professionals compete on Sunday), events and activities over the weekend include presentation of the Loggers Jamboree Queen, Little Princess and Little Logger, food and craft vendors, a Logger’s Jamboree Parade going through North Fork and The Wood Chopper’s Ball on Saturday night.
For more on the Loggers Jamboree, visit www.NorthForkBoosters.org
Celebrate the grape
Thirsty?
Visit Yosemite Madera County said Westbrook Wine Farm on July 4 will release its first-ever wine that co-ferments all eight red Bordeaux varieties they grow into a single, unified blend.
The E Pluribus Unum blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carménère, Gros Verdot and Saint-Macaire to create a Malmsey-style dessert wine that embodies the spirit of the nation, said vintners.
Majestic Mountain Loop
Yosemite National Park is open to all without reservations. Guests can purchase a digital entrance pass at www.Recreation.gov before arriving at the park. For real-time parking and traffic alerts inside the park text “Yosemite” to 33311.
Officials said to arrive early to make the most of your time.
For an even grander adventure, explore three of California’s premier national parks using the Majestic Mountain Loop self-guided itinerary through the icons of Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks — or leave the navigating to a professional and book a guided tour.
Visit www.MajesticMountainLoop.com for the full itinerary and more information on each park.
Summer of Celebration continues
Do lakes have birthdays? Bass Lake does and it turns 125 in 2026 with a lake-wide birthday party on Aug. 15. Gather with friends, families and community to explore events at businesses around the lake and at The Pines Resort, The Forks Resort and Miller’s Landing Resort.
To see a complete Summer of Celebration event calendar visit the Bass Lake Chamber website at www.BassLakeChamber.com
Art Banner locations and more helpful information about the area can be found by visiting www.yosemitethisyear.com
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