Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Go Fourth And Have Fun Today! Here's How

Michael B.
/
Flickr
Fireworks will take place after dark on July 4th in Seattle, Tacoma, and many area communities.

In honor of American independence, we’ve taken the liberty (sorry) of putting together this list of things to do this Fourth of July. The list is, by no means, comprehensive. If you know of a celebration we missed, please let us know in the comment section below.

Seattle

Two parks will play host to Fourth of July festivities this year. The Seafair Summer Fourth takes place from noon to 11 p.m. at Gas Works Park and Lake Union Park. Admission is free. Look for games, entertainment, a beer garden, a flyover, skydivers and, of course, fireworks around 11 p.m. Can't make it down? Watch the fireworks on KIRO-TV, with coverage beginning at 9 p.m. 

Also in Seattle, more than 425 candidates for citizenship will be sworn in at a U.S. citizen naturalization ceremony. It begins with an 11 a.m. concert, and then the swearing-in will follow at noon at Fisher Pavilion Seattle Center. Admission is free. The ceremony will include speeches from Sen. Maria Cantwell, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, Gov. Jay Inslee and King County Executive Dow Constantine. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray will serve as master of ceremonies.

Tacoma 

An air show will grace the skies over Commencement Bay from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. with music, a drum circle and other activities throughout the day. Fireworks will blast off at 10:10 p.m. at Marine Park. It's free, but a donation is suggested.

Around The Region

Credit Justin Steyer
Winston is KPLU's chief morale officer.

Arlington: Frontier Days includes a triathlon at 8 a.m., activities from noon to 4 p.m., a children's parade at 4:30 and a grand parade at 5 p.m. on Olympic Avenue. Fireworks will follow at 9.

Auburn: Rides, vendors, a car show and a petting zoo will be at Les Gove Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will also be a kids' bike parade at noon.

Bainbridge Island: A 7 a.m. pancake breakfast will be followed by a street fair and classic car show starting at 9 a.m., then a parade at 1 p.m., with fireworks at dusk at 395 Wilsow Way E.

Bothell Freedom Festival: A free pancake breakfast will kick things off at 8:30 a.m. at the fire station. The children's parade will start at 11:15 a.m. on Main Street, with the grand parade following at noon near Main Street and Bothell Way.

Burien: A parade will be held at 3 p.m. along Ambaum Boulevard Southwest.

Darrington: A parade will be held at noon, with fireworks at dusk.

Des Moines: Food, beer and wine fun will start at 5 p.m., followed by a concert at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 10:15 at Des Moines Marina.

DuPont: Entertainment will begins at 11 a.m., with a duck race at 1 p.m. ($5), at Clock Tower Park.

Edmonds: A children's parade will take place at 11:30 a.m., and the main parade at noon. Entertainment begins at 7:30 p.m., with fireworks at 10 p.m.

Enumclaw: Breakfast will be served at 8 a.m., then a parade will follow at noon with activities starting at 1 p.m. in downtown Enumclaw. Fireworks will start at 9:45 p.m. at the Southwood Soccer Fields.

Everett: A parade will begin and 11 a.m. and move along Colby and Wetmore avenues. Festival will be held from 1 to 11 p.m., with fireworks at the end, at Legion Memorial Park.

Federal Way: Performances and activities begin at 4 p.m., with a parade at 7. Fireworks follow at 10:15 p.m., at Celebration Park. The park opens at 3 p.m., with parking $7. Pets are not allowed.

Issaquah: Parade of kids and pets start at 11 a.m. Between 11 and 2 p.m., there will be slug races, pony rides, other games and a pie-eating contest at Veterans Memorial Field.

Kent: Entertainment starts at noon, along with activities for kids. A fireworks display begins at 10 p.m. at Lake Meridian Park. Shuttle buses available from the fire station, Kentwood High School and Meridian Elementary.

Kenmore: Music will begin at 8 p.m. followed by fireworks at 10 p.m. at Log Boom Park.

Kirkland: A children's parade will begin at 11:30 a.m., followed by a downtown parade at noon. Food vendors will be available all afternoon, with the music starting at 5 p.m., and fireworks following at 10:15 p.m. off Marina Park.

Newcastle: Food vendors will be present from 6 to 8 p.m. with band performance scheduled for 8 and fireworks for 10 at Lake Boren Park.

Puyallup: Family games will begin at 2 p.m. with a community band concert at 3 p.m. at Meeker Mansion.

Renton: Activities will kick off at noon and entertainment will start at 1:30 p.m. with fireworks at 10 p.m. at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.

Sammamish: ?Entertainment and activities will start at 6 p.m., culminating in a fireworks show after dark at Sammamish Commons.

SeaTac: ?Entertainment will start at 1 p.m., followed by fireworks at 10:15 p.m. with a carnival continuing into Saturday and Sunday at Angle Lake Park.

Steilacoom: A fun run will start at 9 a.m., with entertainment and a street fair starting at 10. The parade will take place at 1 p.m., with fireworks starting at 10:30 p.m. at Steilacoom Town Hall.

Ed Ronco is a former KNKX producer and reporter and hosted All Things Considered for seven years.