Residents set off fireworks from Port Chilkoot Beach on July 4, 2016. (Emily Files)
Fourth of July festivities in Haines include a parade, mountain run and lots of pie, but no official fireworks display.
Haines also went without a major fireworks show last year. Pyrotechnician Phillip Wilde used to contract with the borough to provide July Fourth fireworks. But this year and last, he has instead hosted a display at 33 Mile of the Haines Highway.
The 33 Mile show takes place July 3. Wilde’s son Elliot says the fireworks will start at 10:30 or 11 p.m. and the public is welcome.
The borough assembly put the kibosh on providing a police presence at the 33 Mile show. Borough Manager Debra Schnabel said the event organizers requested a police officer make an appearance to help keep the peace. But multiple assembly members, including Tom Morphet, objected.
“To me this is tantamount to a Mud Bay wedding with 300 people there saying ‘we’d like the police to show up because everybody’s going to be drinking,'” Morphet said. “I don’t think that’s a service we typically offer. Nor should we set the precedent of offering it. If something happens badly at 33 Mile, we should respond. But until then it’s the obligation of the people having a private fireworks show to police themselves.”
The 33 Mile gathering takes place outside of the police service area, which is confined to the townsite.
On July Fourth between 6 p.m. and midnight, the borough is opening up sections of town for private fireworks. Sanctioned areas include the Picture Point and Port Chilkoot Dock beaches.
The Independence Day festivities begin a few days before the fourth, this Saturday. The Haines Fire Department hosts a barbeque at the fire hall Saturday afternoon. The ANB/ANS hall is holding pie-themed Bingo nights Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.
On Independence Day itself, festivities kick off at 6 a.m. with the Fort Seward flag raising ceremony.
Early risers looking for a challenge can participate in the Mount Ripinsky Run at 8 a.m. Sign-up starts at 7 a.m.
Parade line-up begins at 10 a.m. on Main Street. The procession starts at 11 a.m.
After working up an appetite following the parade and run, residents can check out the salmon bake at the ANB/ANS Hall from 11 to 3.
Tlingit Park will be full of food and activities, including face painting, a dunk tank, nail pounding contest and watermelon feed.
Mud Volleyball games start at noon across from the senior center. And the Mad Raft Race is at 3 p.m. at Chilkoot Lake.
A closing ceremony and flag-lowering is set for 9 p.m. at the Fort Seward parade grounds.
A full schedule of events can be found in the June 29 edition of the Chilkat Valley News.
And, just why is it that the Haines Borough is not providing a fireworks show on July 4th? When my Family and I lived in Haines from 1996-2004, there was an Annual fireworks show, shot off of a barge just out of Portage Cove, while I and my Family and hundreds of others watched from “The W’s” which is now, a nice paved parking lot. And so, what has happened? Why does Haines need to rely on someone who provides a private fireworks show all the way out The Road? Some people may drive out to watch, but absolutely no doubt, many will just stay home.
And oh, is Skagway providing a fireworks show on Independence Day? And if so, why them, and not Haines, which has a much bigger population? Just curious…
Kevin, HI, i’m Angela Wilde my husband is Phil Wilde. Long story short, my husband Phil Wilde was the Haines and Skagway Pyrotechnic shooter for Fire Art By Griz of Big Lake AK, until his death 3 years ago. Griz Smith was the one who puchased/manufactured the fireworks for the Haines/Skagway shows, and had shooters in every town he sold fireworks to. Griz sold the cities shows at a reasonable cost and shooters donated a lot of their time, and sometimes money to make it happen in their communities. Skagway currently does not have a city sponsored fireworks show either. The main issue here is, insurance, hiring a company to import fireworks to haines/skagway america, and being out of touch with what these events really cost.Fireworks are not cheap , and no insurance company wants to insure a fireworks show. I believe both cities have contacted large companies in regards to shows, and were shocked at the quoted prices. Yes, theoretically if either city were to choose to do business with one of those companies, there would be a fireworks show. After Griz passed away, my husband donated his time, and sold the city of Haines a consumer grade fireworks show ( he owns a retail fireworks business). He could not do anything for Skagway, as they are a National Park. However, maintaining a pyrotechnicians licence through the state of alaska for a lot of volunteerism hours, and not much else is not a worthwhile venture (Cannot take the written test anywhere BUT Anchorage or Juneau by appointment). We love Haines and so we have gotten together with Robbie Harris at 33 mile and created an event. Hope you have a lovely 4th. Angela