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We invite you to join us for this year’s International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) gathering in Port Angeles — an opportunity to honor lives lost, support those grieving, and reaffirm our commitment to ending overdose in our community.Event Details:
• Date: Sunday, August 31, 2025
• Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ; Tower lighting will take place after event ends, around 10pm.
• Location: Port Angeles City Pier
• Theme: #OneBigFamily
International Overdose Awareness Day is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, reduce the stigma of substance use disorder, and acknowledge the grief of families and friends left behind.
Locally, this event is hosted in partnership by North Olympic Healthcare Network, Peninsula Behavioral Health, Clallam County Public Health, Klallam Counseling Services, Reflections Counseling Services Group, and other agencies soon to come.
This year’s gathering will have a more personal and reflective tone. We are focusing on grief, healing, and connection — and working to destigmatize not only harm reduction and recovery, but also the very real need for grief support.
Many people carry assumptions about what grief counseling "should" look like — quiet rooms, tears, or sitting one-on-one with a therapist. While those spaces are important, grief can also be processed through laughter, movement, art, games, and creative expression. At this year’s IOAD event, we will showcase a variety of grief support experiences to help community members find what resonates with them.
Event activities will include:
• Creative art and craft stations for reflection and expression
• Games and interactive activities that create connection and lightness
• Stories from those with lived experience of loss and recovery
• Quiet spaces for remembrance and mindfulness
• Resources for grief support, behavioral health, recovery, and harm reduction
• Lighting of the City Pier Tower in purple, in honor of those we’ve lost
While we’ve seen a temporary decrease in overdose deaths earlier this year, the recent rise reminds us: this work is never finished. Your presence — as a guest, resource provider, or supporter — sends a clear message that healing is possible, and no one has to walk this path alone.
These small but powerful gestures help make our community visibly supportive and connected.
Together, as #OneBigFamily, we can build a more compassionate, connected community — where healing takes many forms, and support is always within reach.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Port Angeles City Pier, 315 N. Lincoln Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362, United States
