The Long Way
Whatcom County
People participating in a parade with floats and historical costumes.
Plate I. Parade participants, Old Settlers Picnic. From lyndentribune.com

Old Settlers Picnic

Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington. Washington's longest running picnic; July 24 - 25th, 2026.

Details

Map. Ferndale, Whatcom County, Washington. Larger map
Where
Pioneer Pavilion Community Center, 2007 Cherry St, Ferndale, WA 98248. Directions
When
Last full weekend of July, Friday-Saturday.
Getting there
Pioneer Park, Downtown Ferndale, WA.
Fees
$5.00 entrance fee per person each night for the Friday and Saturday evening adult dance.
Hours
Gates open at 11 AM both days.
Access
Pioneer Park is an ADA-compliant facility.
Website
whatcomoldsettlers.com
Managed by
Whatcom County Old Settlers Association.
Established
130th picnic celebrated in 2026.

The all-volunteer Whatcom County Old Settlers Association organizes the annual picnic, grand parade and car show, with proceeds going toward preserving the memory and heritage of the early pioneers of Whatcom County.

Notable Events

  1. 1895The Whatcom County Old Settlers organization was formed in the Fairhaven hotel. lyndentribune.com
  2. 1896The actual first picnic was held at Birch Bay, believed to be in the forested area across from The C Shop, with admission of 50 cents. lyndentribune.com
  3. 1901The association gathered at the Methodist campground on land donated by Darius Rogers and established Pioneer Park, purchasing it in 1902. historylink.org
  4. 1942The association did not host the picnic in the summer of 1942 during World War II. lyndentribune.com
  5. 1972The Old Settlers Association deeded Pioneer Park to the City of Ferndale; the Ferndale Heritage Society was formed in 1994 to maintain and display the cabins with the city. historylink.org
  6. 2020The association did not host the picnic in the summer of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing. lyndentribune.com

People

  • Darius Rogers, donated the cedar-grove campground to the Methodist church that later became Pioneer Park (1882).
  • Lynda Lucas, president of the Old Settlers Association and longtime Whatcom County resident.

Sources

  1. whatcomoldsettlers.com
  2. whatcomoldsettlers.com/forms
  3. lyndentribune.com/ferndale_record/old-settlers-picnic-in-pioneer-park-returns-july-25-26/article_df311922-04c5-470d-a1d4-c5eb45e82963.html
  4. historylink.org/file/10806
  5. lyndentribune.com/news/whatcom-county-old-settlers-picnic-returns-for-its-126th-year/article_1323bd42-0db4-11ed-959f-9fe2781aea91.html
  6. thenorthernlight.com/stories/historical-photo-of-the-week-first-old-settlers-picnic-in-birch-bay,15906