About Us
Please help us celebrate the beauty and goodwill of Snohomish. Join us this summer while we have a good time and give back to those that matter most.
The Origins of Kla Ha Ya Days: Showcasing everything Snohomish has to offer and giving back to the community
The annual Kla Ha Ya Days celebration in Snohomish
has its roots in late 19th-century. Once a year, First Street was host to parades, events, carnivals, and contests.
Every Summer, We Bring You The Best
of what Snohomish has to offer
The Kla Ha Ya Days festival runs each summer to bring the community of Snohomish together. We get together downtown to celebrate each other with music, activities, and lots of food. We’ve been doing this for over 100 years, helping our neighbors, friends, and families have a good time while taking care of one another.
Here’s what makes the Kla Ha Ya Days Festival so unique for the historic district of Snohomish:
- We are by Snohomish for Snohomish: Our festival has always been run by locals, sponsored by locals, and attended by locals. We are the largest and most famous festival in the area!
- We care about what you care about. You’ll love it here if you’re environmentally conscious, health-focused, family-minded, and community-oriented.
- We distribute funds back into the community: It’s more than just about having a good time — we’re in it for the support we give back to Snohomish. Each year, we fund several causes that are important to our community.
- We have something for everyone: Young families with small children, retired seniors, new lovebirds — they will all find something to do at the festival, whether it’s the carnival, the car show, the parade, the concerts, the beer gardens, or the market.
- We support local commerce: Local small businesses exhibit at our market and sell their products and services. You’ll find over 300 antique dealers and gorgeous art galleries, among many other things.
- We partner with local sponsors to give back: Our sponsors are local businesses in your neighborhood. We provide them with an opportunity to show their goodwill to Snohomish.
- We build volunteer leaders: Our entire festival is run by volunteers. We allow students to earn their volunteer hours while adults can enjoy themselves while giving back to their community.
Ready to have a great time with your family and friends?
We strive to keep this a free event to attend. There is no charge to attend these events. $5.00 parking fee for the balloon glow helps pay for traffic control, and clean up of the facility..
People like you – the heart of Snohomish – inspire us to keep putting on the festival.
Uncover the Festival's History
Explore the significant milestones in the history of the
Kla Ha Ya Days festival through our visual timeline.
Late 1800s
1913
1937
1968
2024
The tradition of celebrating Kla Ha Ya days in Snohomish dates back to the late 1800s when the Fourth of July was marked with parades, speeches, and dances along First Street in honor of America’s birthday. Once a year, local hotels hosted the festivities.
In 1913, the yearly Fourth of July celebration was moved to the expanding city of Everett. Numerous people expressed dissatisfaction with the “deserted streets in Snohomish,” prompting the organization of a street fair in August to attract people back. The event turned out to be highly successful.
The street fair was officially codified as “Kla Ha Ya Days” on August 21, 1937. Locals Ed Lysons and Charles Hoheisel won a prize for suggesting the name: it was a Native American phrase (“Klahowya”) meaning “welcome, hello, how are you.”
Kla Ha Ya Days were halted during WWII, but were later reinstated in 1968.
Kla Ha Ya Days is still happening today.
We Strive to Promote The Vibrant Creativity That Makes Snohomish so Unique.
As a non-profit organization, all of our proceeds from the festival support Snohomish-based community organizations. After all, families and youth in the community are the foundation of Snohomish.
Some of the organizations we’ve helped in the past include:
- Kids’ Café
- Snohomish Search & Rescue
- Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Rescue
- Snohomish Fire Rescue
- Snohomish Farmers Market
- Snohomish Senior Center
- Snohomish Education Foundation
- Snohomish Boys & Girls Club
- Sky Valley abate
Our mission is all about bringing lasting support to Snohomish.
With the support of our volunteers, sponsors, and vendors, we can create a memorable event where attendees of all ages can have a good time.
When You Come to Kla Ha Ya Days, You Help us to Give back to the Place We all call Home
Here’s what happens when our families, friends, and neighbors like you head to the Kla Ha Ya Days festival each year:
- We gain attendance of over 20,000 people
- We bring in revenue of over $10,000 for the community
- We promote the youth and character of the city
- We build volunteers as community leaders
- We help nonprofits raise money for their projects
- We promote local businesses
- We have a whole lot of fun. Join us!
Whether you’re into the car show, want to see the parade, or maybe you’re looking to see what the artisan vendors have for you, explore our website and get excited about the Frog Days of Summer!
Celebrating Snohomish's
Annual Festival
Learn more about our festival and how you can get involved!
FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about event
details, ticketing, and participation.
The Kla Ha Ya Days celebration takes place annually in Snohomish on the 3rd weekend of July.
Carnival presale tickets will be available in June to be purchased online or at locations around Snohomish.
All other events are free to attend!
Balloon Glow has a $5.00 parking fee at the gate to help pay for traffic control and clean up.
Yes, you can participate in the Kla Ha Ya Days parade. Please visit our website for more information on how to sign up as a parade participant.
If you’re interested in becoming a vendor at Kla Ha Ya Days, please refer to the vendor information page on our website. It provides details, rules, and forms for vendors.
Yes, we have food trucks at the Kla Ha Ya Days the popular Balloon Glow event. You can enjoy a variety of delicious food options during the festival on Friday evening only.
Questions?
Contact us for more information.
