Celebrate the Fourth in Tacoma style at Freedom Fair

Photo courtesy of the tacoma events commission

The tradition to celebrate July 4 in Tacoma has been documented for decades. As far back as the 1930s, photographs exist and tell the stories of how Tacomans held activities along the Ruston Way waterfront to celebrate the freedom of their country.

In more recent decades the Tacoma Athletic Commission was holding the event in Old Town, but in 1979 the Tacoma Events Commission (TEC) formed as a non-profit entity and dedicated its group to prepping the Fourth of July event that would become Freedom Fair. The organization is volunteer-driven, community-based, and independent from the city of Tacoma. It exists to bring about events such as this annually, and has been keeping up the tradition for 30 years.

Freedom Fair encompasses the entire expanse of Ruston Way from Jack Hyde Park to the Lobster Shop, and in doing so provides a multitude of various entertainment, food, athletic and kids activities that will offer up an exciting fun-filled day for visitors of any age.

The Freedom Fair Air Show will take place from 1:30-3:30 p.m. and will have spectacular jets, bombers and Air Force crafts take to the skies above Commencement Bay. “The Marine Corps Harrier jump jets are a featured act, with crafts that can take off and land vertically, hover and turn on a dime. They are the most hotly sought after air show in the country,” said Doug Miller, president and CEO of the Freedom Fair for the past 24 years. There will be nine areas filled with continuous entertainment along the waterfront stretch and, naturally, tons of food in all different sorts of cuisines and varieties. The International Food Court is composed of three main food destinations and includes specialties from Bavaria, Peru, Thailand, China, the Caribbean, America and more. The expected array of fair food such as pretzels, corn on the cob and hand-dipped ice cream cones will be offered up as well to fulfill any craving.

The pole vault competitions at Freedom Fair highlights the Northwest’s top prep, collegiate and post-collegiate pole-vaulters and has become an annual highlight to athletes and visitors alike craving to see the action up close. The Show & Shine car show will be taking place in front of Duke’s Chowder House from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., featuring street rods, muscle cars and hot rods as well as other classics that have been restored and maintained in pristine condition. Camp Patriot will be returning to help visitors commemorate and celebrate the lives of first responders, volunteers and military personnel who give selflessly of themselves each day. The Lost Boys Pirate Cove started last summer and is back this year, offering up many pirate-themed activities for kids such as dancing, music and swordplay.

Live music performances are an essential element to Freedom Fair and provide an excellent source of entertainment for the whole family. Rock, country, pop, jazz, blues and Christian music round out the main music categories, and performances will be taking place both indoors and outdoors. Up-and-coming artists as well as established local favorites will take to the stages to allow visitors to follow their known staples as well as discover some new sounds. Tiffany Curtis, Randy Oxford Band, Heartless and Susan Murphy are just a handful of the acts that will grace the stage on July 4.

The grand finale and event all will be waiting for is the Freedom Fair fireworks extravaganza, which will start at 10:10 p.m. and go on for approximately 21 minutes. “We’re relocating the barge to a midpoint of Ruston waterfront to improve views of people who come to Ruston Way. (This is) a new thing because the tradition is that the barge was in line with McCarver Street at the end of Old Town block,” Miller said. The culmination of the fireworks will include a spectacular show with fireworks of every color and aims to “shake the entire city and beyond.”

Tacoma Freedom Fair will take place on July 4 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the Ruston Way waterfront at North 30th and McCarver streets. Public transportation is recommended, and Pierce Transit buses will be running from the Tacoma Dome station and the Tacoma Community College Park and Ride. Admission: organizers are requesting that donations be given for entrance at the gate to help keep the event going in the future: $1 kids, $5 for adults 18 and older and families for $10. For more information about location, parking, performance and entertainment times and maps, visit http://www.freedomfair.com.

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