Going to be up north over Independence Day? Well you’re in luck. Alaska has some pretty big Fourth of July bashes that sometimes include a unique northern twist. Here’s what to expect in a few of Alaska’s urban destinations.
Anchorage
Delany Park Strip in downtown Anchorage is the center point of the city’s festivities. The day kicks off with a pancake breakfast and continues with a parade and festival.
A double header baseball game between the city’s crosstown rivals takes place in the evening. The first game starts at 7 and the second at 10 p.m. The city launches fireworks at the conclusion of the second game, likely sometime after 11 p.m.
Seward
The seaside town is most famous for its Mount Marathon race on the Fourth of July. The race course starts downtown, heads to the top of the 3,022-foot mountain, and then concludes back in downtown. It’s an infamous lung-buster made even more difficult by a scrambling over steep slopes and loose shale.
Seward launches their fireworks at 12:01 a.m. on July 4 to start the days events. Seward is a popular destination for Alaskans and tourists alike over the long weekend when the population booms to tens of thousands. So if you plan to stay in town make plans well in advance!
Fairbanks
Fireworks might not have the same effect in the land of the midnight sun, but seeing the sun high in the sky so late at night holds plenty of splendor on its own. The city’s Fourth of July festivities include music, food, and family games in Pioneer Park.
Juneau
Fourth of July in the capital city of Alaska is a happening holiday with celebrations that last several days. There is a fabulous fireworks show over Gastineau Channel and the boom of the fireworks echo off the surrounding mountains. The fireworks are launched the night of July 3, just before midnight.
The multi-day festivities include a sand-dollar hunt, firehose race, sandcastle sculpting competition and more.
Talkeetna
Talkeetna celebrates summer in true Alaskan fashion, with “Moose on the Loose” all over downtown. The culmination of the moose festivities happens on July Fourth, when the decorated wooden moose are paraded through town and auctioned off to fundraise for local organizations.
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