The 67th Annual Soldotna Progress Days festivities will kick off on Friday in Soldotna and run from Friday, July 26th, through Sunday, July 28th. The Soldotna Chamber of Commerce is helping rally the community together for this big event, which will feature live music and dance performances, the Progress Days Parade, food and craft vendors, and more all weekend long.
The weekend begins on Friday with a Kenai Peninsula 4-H Agricultural Expo at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and a Kenai Wildlife Refuge Discovery Hike at the Skilak Lookout Trail at 10:00 a.m. On Friday night, big races get underway at 6:00 p.m. at the Twin Cities Raceway, but if four-legged transportation is more your style, there will be barrel racing and pole bending at the Soldotna Rodeo Grounds at 7:00 p.m.
The Saturday parade lineup begins at 9:00 a.m. in the SoHi parking lot, with the parade beginning at 11:00 a.m. The route ends on N Binkley just after the Borough Building, where the judges and MC are located.
Festivities continue on Saturday with the Progress Days Block Party at Parker Park and more.
“We’ll have lots of vendors; we’ll have food trucks; a free BBQ will be hosted by the City of Soldotna from noon to four or until supplies last,” said Soldotna Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Maddy Olson. “We have free family activities hosted by the City of Soldotna Parks and Rec Department. We also have free kids’ carnival-themed activities sponsored by the Soldotna Elks Lodge. And then we will have a few contests with awesome prizes. Also sponsored by the Soldotna Elks Lodge.”
On Saturday, there will also be a National Wildlife Refuge Discovery Hike at Hideout Lake Trail at 10:00 a.m.
