Families and community members lined Bay Street June 28 for the 56th annual Fathoms O’ Fun Parade, a Port Orchard tradition that kicks off the city’s summer celebration season.

Dozens of community groups, car clubs and pageant royalty marched through downtown, many handing treats to eager kids and waving to cheering crowds. The parade is organized each year by the Fathoms O’ Fun Festival Association, a nonprofit volunteer group that also hosts summer concerts, scholarship pageants, and children’s events.

“This is one of those events that makes you proud to be part of a small town,” said Cory Walters. “You see your neighbors, your schools, your favorite local businesses. This is what summer feels like.”

The festival has been a mainstay in Port Orchard since the 1960s, created to celebrate local pride and draw visitors to the waterfront. The parade remains one of the area’s most popular events, bringing out generations of families each year.

“We were thrilled with this year’s parade lineup,” pageant director Helene Jensen said. “We brought back some of our most-loved dance and drum corps, local floats, and community groups. A few people have asked, ‘Where were the bands?’ The truth is, our parade takes place after school is out, which makes coordinating with school bands a challenge.”

This year’s theme, “The Game of FOF,” brought out creative floats and lively performances, with judges selecting standout entries in multiple categories.

Top honors went to Soroptimist International of Port Orchard, which earned the Grand Sweepstakes Best of Parade Award. Capital Lakefair took home the Grand Sweepstakes Float award, while Clallam County Fair Royalty wowed judges with their Showstopper performance.

Other winners included:

Distinction in Design: Reach for the Stars

Festival Award: Daffodil Festival

Spotlight Award: Jefferson County Rhododendron Festival

Wit & Whimsey Award: McCleary Bear Festival

Pacific Northwest Award: Mason County Forest Festival

Judged category winners included:

Car Clubs: Glass Odyssey Corvette Club

Commercial Entry: Augusta Lawn Care

Fraternal Group: Long Lake Garden Club

Community Group: Kitsap Peninsula Shrine Club

High Energy Group: The Dolls and Gents Drill Team and Drumline

Military/Veterans: Military Mobile Museum

Service/Nonprofit: Port Orchard Rotary Club

Visiting Royalty: Miss Kitsap Fair and Stampede

Youth Group: Sound Elite Athletics

South Kitsap High School cheerleaders pump up the parade crowd.

Miss Poulsbo Elliana Roberson waves to parade-goers.

Miss Silverdale Khi Tall Bull takes a ride through the parade.