FORKS, Wash. — Before it was selected by Stephanie Meyer as the setting of her hit teen supernatural romance series, Forks was just a small town in Washington known for its beautiful landscapes, timber industry, and a whole lot of rain — over 100 inches a year on average.
Now, the “rainiest town in the contiguous US” also enjoys a booming tourist industry, with tens of thousands of visitors stopping in each year. In 2005, before the release of “Twilight,” the Forks Visitor Center had 74 signatures in its guestbook. In 2010, the Center counted over 70,000 signatures.
The town began celebrating the series with Stephanie Meyer Day on Sept. 13, the birthday of the series heroine, Bella Swan. Now, they hold the Forever Twilight in Forks Festival instead!
This year, the festival will run Sept. 14-17, with special guest appearances by actresses Ashley Greene and Rachelle Lefeure, who played Alice Cullen and Victoria Sutherland in the films, as well as Erik Odom, who played Peter in “Breaking Dawn Part 2.” The film costume designer, Wendy Chuck, will also be there.
The 60-page schedule is jam-packed with fun activities for fans and curious non-fans alike, including the Twilight Bazaar and Baked Potato Bar, tours of the Forks Timber Museum, the first ever Twi-Guy meetup, and line-dancing lessons at Mimi’s School of Dance. Not to mention photograph and autograph opportunities with the special guests.
Best of all, this festival is free to attend, so you can take it all in without breaking the bank. Some events do require tickets, which can be purchased online in advanced.
If you’re brave enough, you can even tour the Twilight Collection and behold with wonderment the legendary “Chuckesmee,” the sole animatronic doll produced to use as the child of Bella and Edward in the films before the decision was made to use CG instead.
Some say she is a quirky curiosity. Some say she is pure nightmare fuel. Whichever end of the spectrum you fall on, she’s certainly one-of-a-kind and only viewable in Forks.
Whether you’re packing your rainboots and driving to Forks, or you’re staying home and enjoying from afar, only one question remains:
(Note from FTF: We are aware of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes and are doing everything within our power to work within the guidelines set forth by these unions regarding our guests, including the actors, influencers, and cast member cosplayers who are scheduled to attend.
In light of the current strike, please refrain from filming, recording, or posting performances or interactions with cast members, as this would violate their strike guidelines. Still photos are encouraged and welcome to be posted during this time. Thank you for your cooperation!)
