The Fourth of July holiday is a big deal in Ketchikan, and there are plenty of events to keep folks busy on the Fourth, and the few days leading up to the national holiday.
Here are just a few of the main events, according to a schedule provided by the Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce:
- Celebrations kick off Saturday evening with the presentation of Fourth of July Queen contestants, set for 6 p.m. at The Plaza mall. Young ladies competing for the crown have been selling raffle tickets. Proceeds go toward the Ketchikan Lions Club, which sponsors the community fireworks display. The actual crowning will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, also at The Plaza.
- On Monday morning starting at 10, food and game booths open in the parking lot of The Plaza Mall. Booths will be open Tuesday, too, starting at 10 a.m.
- Tuesday is the big day. The annual pie sale at St. John’s Lutheran Church starts at 10 a.m., and lineup for the main parade starts at 10:30 on Tongass Avenue just north of The Plaza.
- The kids’ parade lineup is 11 a.m. at the Federal Building downtown. Kids start walking at 11:30, and stop at the downtown tunnel.
- The main parade begins at noon. It starts around Madison Lumber and Hardware, and ends at Tatsuda’s IGA.
- First City Rotary will offer free root beer floats starting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Centennial Building parking lot area.
- First City Rotary’s annual Rubber Duck Race starts at 5 p.m. in Ketchikan Creek.
- Sometime between 5 and 6 p.m., KRBD will announce the winners of its annual skiff raffle.
- The annual Alaska Ironjack competition starts at 6 p.m. at the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show arena.
- Fireworks, sponsored by Ketchikan Lions Club, will be at 11 p.m. from a barge off the north end of Pennock Island, weather dependent.