Forks Washington on the Olympic Peninsula

Here’s early notice–Stephenie Meyer Day 2010 is slated for September 11-12, 2010, in Forks, WA!!

While this year’s event is still in the organizational stages, based on the overwhelming response at past events, we want to make sure everyone has ample opportunity to be here on Bella’s Birthday this year to celebrate with us.  Now is the time to make lodging reservations in Forks or LaPush for this weekend–the entire area was booked solid last year.  Many fans arrived before the weekend and/or stayed a day or two afterward, to have more time to fully enjoy everything our area has to offer.  Whether you've been to every single Stephenie Meyer Day so far or just want to check out something new, everyone is welcome and the event is always a blast.  See you there!

We see this small herd of elk just about every morning on our way to work.  Having endured urban commutes for a number of years, it's hard to complain too much about our typical Forks commute--you often see more elk than traffic!

If you haven't checked out our James Island webcam lately--it turns out we had it aimed directly at the scene of where a 40-ft. dredging barge capsized last Monday!  The crew was safely rescued by personnel from U.S. Coast Guard Station Quillayute River based in LaPush.  More information can be found in this Peninsula Daily News article by Paige Dickerson. 

A large section (20 blocks) of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be on display in Forks from March 1-6, 2010.  The display is located at the Forks High School Auxiliary Gym, 261 South Spartan Avenue.  The goal of the AIDS Quilt project is to provide a creative means for remembrance and healing, to effectively illustrate the enormity of the AIDS pandemic, to increase awareness of HIV and AIDS throughout the general public, to assist others in providing education on the prevention of HIV infection, and to raise funds for community-based AIDS Service Organizations (ASO's).  Volunteers are needed to help with the quilt display--please contact the Forks Chamber of Commerce today at 360-374-2531 (or toll-free at 1-800-443-6757) or by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to get further information about how you can participate.

Have you ever heard of a community that rallies each year to provide a scholarship for every graduating senior who applies for one?

It happens right here in Forks and LaPush with the Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction--and over a million dollars have been raised so far!  The idea is to help jump-start students' careers with some cash to offset college or vocational/technical school expenses.  This year's event happens March 20-21 (coinciding with the New Moon DVD release festivities that weekend), so make plans to be there!  Everyone is welcome at this fun event.

March 11, 2010, Update - Oh my! The O.C.C. Toy Shop crew has been busy this year!  Check out their generous contributions to this year's auction and get your "favorites" list going before your chance to bid begins March 20th.

This little trail has something for everyone!

• Wide, level and only about 0.3 mile long
• Located in Klahowya Campground--right off US Highway 101 at about milepost 212--convenient place for a quick break
• Borders scenic Sol Duc River--winds through old homestead site
• Crosses historic Snider-Jackson trail
• Interesting and informative interpretive signs along the way

→Our photo gallery slideshow takes you on a quick tour around this fun loop trail.

Forks is gearing up for the March 20th DVD release of New Moon. This article by Paige Dickerson, from today's Peninsula Daily News, highlights some of the activities being planned in Forks around this BIG event. We're especially looking forward to seeing all the locals appearing in the Twilight in Forks documentary, which is supposed to be part of the Special Edition New Moon DVD. Dazzled by Twilight (11 N. Forks Ave.) is ramping up the planning efforts with the Volturi Vampire Ball set for 8:00 pm, Friday, March 19th, at the Twilight Lounge (FKA the Vagabond Restaurant) right in Downtown Forks. There will be no entrance fee for this fun-sounding event! Twilight Central/Leppell's Flowers & Gifts (130 S. Spartan Ave.) is also planning some special events during the day on March 19th and running right up to the midnight release of the DVD. Other events and activities are in the works, so stay tuned, and make plans NOW to be in Forks March 19-21 to be part of the action!

The "Home of the Swans" sign at Forks' Swan House has been taken!  Yes, shocking, but true.  We're assuming local law enforcement is all over this apparent "TwiCrime," but if you have the sign--for whatever reason--just leave it at the Forks Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center (1411 S. Forks Ave.) and we'll get it back to the owners.  If anyone knows who has the sign, or has information about what happened to it, please contact the Forks Police Department (360-374-2223) and they'll take it from there.  Thanks!

 

It's encouraging to see that the West End now has a paved 6-mile section of the Olympic Discovery Trail in place. Although it's still "closed for construction," this first-class section of trail extends through the forest from the Camp David Jr. Road end of the Spruce Railroad Trail, on Lake Crescent, to the top of Fairholm Hill. The Olympic Discovery Trail itself will eventually go the entire 100-mile distance from Port Townsend, through Sequim, Port Angeles, Joyce, Forks and LaPush, to the Pacific Ocean.