A patriotic float in the 2017 Haines parade. (KHNS/Emily Files)
Haines and Skagway are gearing up for annual Fourth of July Festivities. An old event is returning to Haines, and Skagway will have a few extra visitors this year. KHNS has a rundown of this year’s events.
More than 11,000 cruise ship visitors will be in Skagway’s port for the Fourth of July. The theme for the day is Hip Hip, Hooray, It’s Independence Day.
The Chamber of Commerce’s Blaine Mero says tickets for the annual ducky derby are going fast. He expects them to be sold out by noon on the fourth.
In addition to the ducky derby, there will be a pie eating contest, egg toss, and kids games. As well as a horseshoe tournament, spike driving contest and cornhole tournament.
Mero says bands will be performing at different bars.
Music is also a main event during Haines’ festivities this year.
Tracey Harmon is the Executive Director of the Haines Chamber of Commerce.
“The Fourth of July music fest. The last time it was done was 2016,” says Harmon. “Thankfully to our sponsors, specifically the Haines Borough is a huge sponsor of that event. That’s going to be from 6 to 10 p.m.”
Harmon says the Chamber works to facilitate the events.
“These are activities that have been done for years and have fantastic organizers and sponsors behind them,” says Harmon. “We’re just going to kind of try to be the vehicle that sort of pulls it all in together under one umbrella.”
There will also be an annual Mt. Ripinsky run, cannon firing, pie eating contest and tug-of-war. The tug-of-war is a challenge from the cruise ship that will be in town that day.
“They are putting together a local team and they have put a challenge out to Haines to compete with them,” says Harmon.
The Hammer Museum will host a spike driving and nail pounding competition.
The theme for this year’s parade in Haines is ‘Heroes.’ And the Chamber is also holding an essay contest with that theme.
