PENINSULA From Oysterville to Ilwaco, thousands of people were reveling in the sunshine and the numerous events on the Long Beach Peninsula over the long Fourth of July weekend.

Dierdre Duewel, assistant to the director of the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau, had guests over the weekend and they loved everything, she said. Businesses were booming, there were people everywhere. She said the artisans fair in Oysterville was packed. They ran out of parking places.

And, numerous art events in Ocean Park were popular with visitors, as well as the perennial favorite Fourth of July parade. Duewel said a new event at the parade, a bicycle decorating station, was a big hit. Everything was very well attended.

The fireworks in Long Beach Monday night left people breathless, Duewel said. They were astonishing.

Also astonishing was the turnout for the Saturday Market at the Port of Ilwaco. Market Manager Bruce Peterson said the market was completely sold out. We had somebody stuck in every patch of dirt we could find. It was our first-ever sell-out since the market started and it looks like well have a few more sell-outs for this month and into August. That translates into 65 or 70 vendor spaces, he said. Were very excited about how the markets going, he said. I think, with the downturn in the economy, well be seeing more and more vendors. Its an inexpensive way to get products out in front of people and it also gives people something to do on weekends to raise a few extra dollars. Our mission is to support the merchants.

It was jam-packed, Port of Ilwaco Manager Jim Neva said, adding there were more people at the market and the firewoks show than usual, probably because of the beautiful weather. 

 

Long Beach booms

In Long Beach, business at motels and RV parks was booming. We were full all three days, a spokeswoman for the Long Beach Super 8 said. And Lorna Follis of Andersens RV Park said she was sold out all three days with reservations coming in for this week and next weekend. Im quite happy, she said.

Kay Buesing, director of the World Kite Museum in Long Beach, said it was a good weekend at the museum and the gift shop. One small snag, though. She said the GPS units on newer vehicles were directing their drivers to the museums old location on Sixth Street. The museum moved to its new location on Sid Snyder Drive six years ago and, apparently, the GPS units cant be changed. So much for modern technology.

 

Gang rounds up trash

And, on Tuesday, the Grass Roots Garbage Gang was busy picking up debris leftover from all the merry-making over the long weekend. Thanks to a committee of visitors bureau board members, this year flyers were distributed to Peninsula businesses asking visitors to Treasure Our Beaches and to clean up after themselves. Weve tried to help businesses to pass on information about what we expect from our tourists when they go to our beaches, a spokeswoman for the group said.

Last year, the gang picked up and removed 26 tons of debris.