Fourth of July in Alaska

From the early days of the District or Territory of Alaska, American settlers celebrated Fourth of July here. If you go to Alaska’s Digital Archives (https://vilda.alaska.edu), you can find lots of old photos of Independence Day parades, contests, and parties from all over Alaska.

When I researched the Treadwell Mine (on Douglas Island near Juneau) for my novella Worth Her Weight in Gold, I found that the miners had huge celebrations there in the late 1880s. The Treadwell band played, and the company hosted a baseball game, a tug of war with local Alaska Natives, a dance at the clubhouse, and ended with fireworks that night. Plus, the fire department had hose races, where they had to run a certain distance, connect the hose to a hydrant, and get water in the shortest time to win $25 each—a lot of money back then!

Nowadays, Alaskans continue the tradition with Fourth of July fun all over the state. (I should warn you that fireworks are hard to see in the summertime due to our long days of daylight—it’s best to view that in the winter if you want the traditional show, but we do our best on the 4th.) Here are a few samples of celebrations for this year:

Modern Juneau residents host a parade and fireworks. https://juneau4thofjuly.net/home

Fairbanks has a parade, flag ceremony, and lots of family activities at Pioneer Park. https://www.explorefairbanks.com/event/pioneer-park-4th-of-july-celebration/10530/

If you’d like a two-day celebration, the Anchorage Bowl has you covered. Start with small-town fun in Eagle River on the 3rd. In Anchorage, the 4th starts with a reading of the Declaration of Independence, then a parade, festival, and baseball game complete the celebration. https://www.anchorage.net/events/annual-events/july-4th-celebration/

Valdez has a parade, music, games, and the Uncle Salmon Funky 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run. https://www.valdezak.gov/680/City-Events

Seward takes the cake with its land and water parade, vendor booths, and the famous Mount Marathon race, where slightly nutty athletes run up and down a steep trail. It’s the most famous celebration in the state, so expect crowds! https://www.seward.com/events/signature-events/

I hope you enjoy Independence Day wherever you are. Happy Fourth of July!