One Town, One Day, Five Festivals: Ridgefield Goes All Out August 1
Dragon boat races on the water. Kid CEOs slinging lemonade. A state-sanctioned duck calling championship. City big rigs you can climb on. And a farmers market to fuel it all. Saturday, August 1 is Ridgefield's Day of Festivals — and there's a free shuttle so you don't have to pick just one.
Some towns do a summer festival. Ridgefield looked at that idea and said: what if we did all of them, on the same Saturday, and threw in a free shuttle so nobody has to choose? That's the Day of Festivals — August 1, all over town, all at once. City Days at the Skate Park, the Farmers Market and First Saturday vendors at Davis Park, the Children's Entrepreneur Market at Overlook, dragon boat races at the waterfront, and out at Abrams Park, the 21st annual Washington State Duck and Goose Calling Championship. I told you this town never misses.
Everything is free to attend, most of it runs 9 AM to 2 PM, and the whole day is stitched together by a free C-Tran shuttle looping between the parking hubs and the action. Here's your full game plan.
The Details
The Lineup
Skate Park & Simons Street · 9 AM – 2 PM
City Days: Booths, Big Rigs & Your City Council
108 N 3rd Ave · Street parking
Ever wondered what actually happens to your utility bill, or who keeps the stormwater where it belongs? City Days is your chance to ask. Staff from Public Works, Parks, Finance, Community Development, and more will be running stations with games, activities, and swag giveaways — and the crews will be giving tours of the big equipment they use to take care of our town. Kids who are into large machinery (so, all of them) will lose their minds.
City Council members will also host a space for conversation and Q&A. Come with questions. This is small-town democracy at its most accessible — no podium required.
Davis Park · 9 AM – 2 PM
Farmers Market & First Saturday Vendors
337–411 N 3rd Ave · Street parking, portable restrooms, playground
The reliable heartbeat of a Ridgefield First Saturday: the Farmers Market and First Saturday vendors set up at Davis Park with handmade goods, locally grown vegetables, and all the usual reasons your reusable bag comes home full. Playground on site, so the kids have somewhere to burn energy while you deliberate over produce.
Overlook Park · 9 AM – 2 PM
Children's Entrepreneur Market
113–131 S Main Ave · Street parking, restrooms, picnic tables, splash pad
Possibly the most charming thing happening in Clark County that day: kids running their own businesses. They decide what to sell, build the booth, talk to customers, and handle the money themselves. Bring cash, bring encouragement, and prepare to be upsold by an eight-year-old with better sales instincts than most adults.
Know a kid who wants in? Booth registration is open — details on the City's event page.
Ridgefield Waterfront · Race Day
Paddle for Life Dragon Boat Races
109 W Division St · Free parking, portable restrooms
Grab lunch from the markets, walk it down to the water, and watch dragon boat teams race at the Ridgefield Waterfront. It's exactly as cool as it sounds, and it's the best excuse you'll get all summer to eat a market lunch with a view of actual dragon boats. Want the full story on the races? I wrote about Paddle for Life here.
Abrams Park · 8 AM – 5 PM
2026 WA Sanctioned Duck & Goose Calling Championship
400 Abrams Park Rd · Parking, restrooms, playgrounds, disc golf
You read that correctly. The Washington Waterfowl Association is hosting the 21st annual Washington State calling contest right here at Abrams Park, featuring the best duck and goose callers around, plus raffle prizes. In a town whose minor league team is the Raptors and whose crown jewel is a wildlife refuge, a state duck calling championship is not a quirky one-off — it's the most Ridgefield event imaginable, and I will be attending with total sincerity.
Downtown · 5 – 7 PM
Featured Artist Reception: Rose Jubb
Ridgefield Art Gallery · 104 N Main Ave
When the markets wind down, the evening act begins. The Ridgefield Art Gallery hosts its monthly featured artist reception from 5 to 7 PM, showcasing gallery member Rose Jubb. The perfect landing spot after a full day of festivals — art, air conditioning, and conversation.
Getting Around: The Free Shuttle Is Your Best Friend
With events spread from the Skate Park to the waterfront to Abrams Park, the smartest move of the day is letting C-Tran do the driving. The free event shuttle runs 7 AM to 3 PM and loops between four stops:
Quick Questions
Do I have to pay for anything?
Attendance is free across the board — the shuttle, the races, City Days, the calling championship, all of it. Bring money for the markets, the kid entrepreneurs, and raffle tickets at Abrams, because you will want to spend it.
What's the best strategy for hitting everything?
Park at Union Ridge early, shuttle to Davis Park for market coffee and browsing, walk City Days, shuttle to Overlook for the kid market, then ride down to the waterfront with lunch for the dragon boats. Drive out to Abrams whenever you need duck calls in your life (it runs 8 AM to 5 PM, so there's flexibility), and end the day at the gallery reception at 5.
I'm a business or organization doing something that day — can I get on the City's list?
Yes — the City wants to know so they can share it on the event page. Email [email protected] with the details. Questions about the day can go to Community Events Coordinator Ireland Coleman at 360-857-5019.
More from Meanwhile in Ridgefield
August 1. Comfortable shoes, market cash, and a loose plan built around a free shuttle. Find me somewhere between the dragon boats and the duck callers — and if you see the whole town out at once, that's not a coincidence. That's just Ridgefield doing Saturday right.
