In 1968 Fathoms O’ Fun was founded as Port Orchard’s annual summer celebration. Fathoms O’ Fun Festival By The Sea is a Washington non-profit corporation, and holds IRS 501 (c)(4) status as a tax exempt organization. Its mission is to provide family recreational activities as well as youth leadership scholarship programs in our community. Fathoms is operated entirely by volunteers.

The Fathoms mission is met by providing a variety of family activities throughout the year, including the Grand Parade, festival activities, scholarship pageant, concerts, children’s events, golf tournament, street fairs, and an award-winning community festival float which appears in parades throughout the state.

The centerpiece of Fathom’s annual programs is its coordination of the 4^th of July Sinclair Inlet Fireworks Show. Drawing crowds of 60,000 or more, the show is visible to Bremerton, the Naval Shipyard, and Port Orchard areas.

Fathoms works with other community organizations including Helpline Food Bank, South Kitsap Community Park, Bremerton Port District, Kitsap County Park & Recreation, area services clubs, and the cities of Port Orchard and Bremerton. Coordination between all these groups plus businesses and interested individuals is necessary to provide the many activities needed to create a vital and thriving family environment for our communities. This coordination also provides the basis of interest to bring visitors to the area throughout the year.

Fathoms O’Fun is managed by a volunteer board of directors elected by a larger group of Fathoms volunteers. Funding is provided by contributions from businesses, non-profit groups, individuals, fund raising events, and sales of souvenirs. Fathoms continually seeks out individual volunteers and partners in the business and non-profit community to ensure provision of quality recreational activities.