This May 16, The Greater Kitsap Chamber is hosting its annual Armed Forces Day Festival, an event the chamber has held for more than 70 years. The festival’s origin story can be traced back to the 1940s, when the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce organized a parade to honor Bremerton’s John “Bud” Hawk for his heroic efforts in World War II.
“The Bremerton Armed Forces Parade has been running ever since and is the largest and longest running Armed Forces Parade west of the Mississippi,” according to the chamber’s website.
This year, the festival — which attracts about 20,000 people annually — will kick off with a pancake breakfast, followed by its regular parade programming and a community barbecue. It will conclude with a Navy League Gala at the Kitsap Golf and Country Club.