From canoes slicing through the waters of Dyes Inlet to marching bands on parade and non-stop musical entertainment on two stages, Whaling Days 2006 takes over Old Town Silverdale July 28-30.

The event kicks off with a fireworks show over Dyes Inlet at 10 p.m. July 28, and also boasts a three-day street fair, a carnival and a Rotary duck race.

Headlining the entertainment schedule on the mainstage July 29 is The Kingsmen, the ‘60s rock group that will be forever associated with that iconic and undecipherable song, “Louie Louie.”

The Kingsmen have been through many, many member changes over its 47-year career, but two members who have been with the band since 1959 and 1963 are still rockin’ — Mike Mitchell and Dick Peterson. Joining them are Steve Peterson, member since 1988, Todd McPherson, on board since 1992 and newcomer Dennis Mitchell.

No doubt many of those in attendance at The Kingsmen’s show Saturday night at Waterfront Park will remember when they first heard the band’s version of “Louie Louie,” a song with lyrics so garbled they must be obscene, or so many thought.

Originally penned and recorded by Richard Berry in 1956 as a simple calypso song about a Jamaican sailor yearning for his girlfriend back home, The Kingsmen’s 1963 version catapulted the group to fame, and into history.

Various sources attribute lead singer Jack Ely’s slurred delivery as being the result of painful braces, being hung over or having to shout the lyrics into a badly placed microphone. Ely left the band shortly after the song was recorded, but it has a life of its own.

It has influenced hundreds of artists, from Frank Zappa to Kurt Cobain, and been recorded nearly 2,000 times. Chances are it will be played one more time in Silverdale Saturday.

The Whaling Days entertainment features a lineup of performers suitable for all family members, from local rockers Mercurius and Joey James Dean to J.P. Patches and magician Kevin Wolfe.

The main stage opens at 6 p.m. July 28 with the funk and rock sounds of Hit Sensation, followed by the evening’s headliner at 8 p.m., Clinton Fearon and the Boogie Brown Band. This nationally-known reggae band is sure to make festival-goers forget their hard day at work and get on their feet and dance.

The music continues almost non-stop July 29, beginning at 12:15 p.m. with The Jazz Ambassadors, followed by Seattle clown J.P. Patches at 1:30 p.m. and Mercurius at 2:30 p.m.

At 4 p.m. Locust Street Taxi performs its humorous brand of rock, designed to get the audience laughing as well as dancing. It is followed at 6 p.m. by Joey James Dean and his band, who warm up the crowd for the showcase performance by The Kingsmen.

Sunday starts off with an outdoor “Rock the Dock” church service by Coram Deo church in Bremerton, from 10 a.m. to noon. After that HD Fusion takes the stage at 12:30 p.m., followed at 3 p.m. by The Beatniks. This band is a consistent crowd-pleaser, performing music from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s with a style and charisma that has made them a favorite at casinos and fund-raising events across the country.

There’s also a family stage, with shows by magician Kevin Wolfe, entertainers Cowboy Buck and Elizabeth, Irene’s School of Dance, Jazz by Melissa Dance Studio and the Sumatra Dancers.

The street fair is back on the street this year, after having moved to the port parking lot last year. It is open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 28, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 29 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 30.

The Silverdale Outrigger Canoe Club stages the Dyes Inlet Dash, with races from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 29.

The Silverdale Lions Club Grand Parade also takes place July 29, starting at 10 a.m. at Ridgepoint Drive and proceeding down Silverdale Way to Anderson Hill Road.

For more information on Whaling Days or the performers visit www.whalingdays.com.