Fireworks, drone shows, boat parades and more: Where to celebrate Independence Day in the Inland Northwest
Jul. 2—Independence Day is Thursday, which means many people are looking for a safe and fun way to celebrate the holiday.
Whether it be a parade, performance or picnic, there are many ways to celebrate in the Inland Northwest.
Spokane
Idaho Central Credit Unions' annual Fourth of July Celebration and Expo '74 50th Closing Ceremony will start at 6 p.m. at Riverfront Park on Thursday. Guests can look forward to food vendors, a beer garden, live music, a martial arts display, poetry readings and more — all free to the community.
The Ruby River Hotel is hosting its Fourth of July riverside barbeque, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the hotel grounds abutting the Spokane River, where guests can indulge in mouthwatering dishes, drinks, desserts and riverside views of the city's fireworks show.
Tickets are available on the hotel's website; prices range from $20 for adults, $11 for kids under 11, while kids 3 and under get in for free.
Spokane Valley
In true American fashion, Independence Day will be celebrated on the baseball diamond at Avista Stadium when the Spokane Indians take on the Tri-City Dust Devils for the start of a three-game series at 7 p.m. Thursday. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and a fireworks display will follow the game's conclusion.
Liberty Lake
The city of Liberty Lake will start its celebration at 11 a.m. Thursday with a parade on Alpine Drive on the northwest shore of the lake. The city will keep the festivities going with a 7 p.m. concert at Pavilion Park featuring the Spokane band Nu Jack City.
The night will wrap up with a pair of free-to-attend fireworks displays at 10 p.m. The city's show will be staged on the baseball fields between Liberty Lake Elementary and Liberty Creek Elementary schools, and the privately funded "Over-the-Water Fireworks Spectacular" will take place at Liberty Lake, where fireworks will be lit from a floating barge.
Airway Heights
The Kalispel Tribe's Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Airway Heights has a family-friendly festival planned for Independence Day that will include a drone show from Sky Elements, a Texas-based group best known for their appearance on season 19 of "America's Got Talent."
The festivities begin at 4 p.m. at the BECU Live Outdoor Venue, where families can enjoy entertainment and activities including a bouncy-house, water features, cornhole, cash giveaways and live musical and magic performances. Also embedded in the afternoon's schedule are three events honoring tribal members who served in the armed forces.
The evening will wrap up with a fireworks display and drone show featuring 500 fluttering devices equipped with LEDs to create animated images.
Medical Lake
Medical Lake will host an Independence Day celebration at Waterfront Park on Thursday as part of its ongoing Linger at the Lake concert series. Live music will begin at 8 p.m. with a performance from Post Falls-based country musician Devon Walker, and the fireworks show will start at 10 p.m.
Deer Park
The city of Deer Park is hosting a fireworks show at Deer Park High School as soon as night falls. Concessions will be available, starting at 6 p.m. The Deer Park Gazette reports that parking will be limited, and visitors are encouraged to come early.
Nine Mile Falls and Suncrest
The Lake Spokane Chamber of Commerce has a day full of activities planned for the communities of Nine Mile Falls and Suncrest at Lakeside Middle School, including a pancake breakfast, a Freedom Run 5K at 8 a.m., a car show, vendors and fireworks.
Fireworks regulations are bit less stringent in Stevens County, which can lead to a display of its own over the lake as residents celebrate the holiday.
Loon Lake
The Loon Lake Property Owners Association has an $8,700 over-the-lake fireworks display slated for Friday night, but before the show, the annual boat parade on the lake will begin at 1 p.m.
Those interested in entering their own "bird-themed boat floats" can register starting at 12:30 p.m. at Cedar Beau Bay on the south end of the lake, and prizes are available to the best decorated watercrafts.
Coeur d'Alene
The Coeur d'Alene Regional Chamber of Commerce will start its American Heroes Parade honoring service members and veterans at 10 a.m. The parade will travel down Sherman Avenue from 15th Street to First Street; commentators announcing floats will be stationed at the intersection of 1st and Sherman and between Second and Third streets.
The Coeur d'Alene Resort is hosting its annual "4th Fest" featuring a dinner buffet, live music from local band Whack-a-Mole and a fireworks display over Lake Coeur d'Alene at 9:45 p.m. The festival begins at 6 p.m., and tickets are available on the resort's website.
VIP tickets to access the Lakeview Terrace are no longer available, but general admission tickets are available for $125 for adults, and $45 for children 3 to 12 years old. Toddlers 2 years old or younger can attend for free.
Sandpoint
The Sandpoint Lion's Club has selected "Back to Our Roots" as the theme of its annual Independence Day parade this year, honoring the community's history as a timber town.
The parade will begin with the children's division at 9:30 a.m., followed by the grand parade at 10 . The parade will assemble at the parking lot between Pine and Church Streets, proceed east on Church to First Avenue, north on First to Cedar Street and then west on Cedar to Fifth Avenue.
Vendors, raffles and free ice cream will be available as the festivities move to Sandpoint City Beach Park, where a fireworks display will occur later that evening.
Moses Lake
The community of Moses Lake will kick off the Independence Day celebrations in the Inland Northwest by hosting its celebration on Wednesday. Vendors, performances from the 133D Army National Guard Band and more will be found at McCosh Park starting at 7 p.m. Fireworks will be set off from barges on the lake starting at 10 p.m.
Pullman
The Pullman Chamber of Commerce is hosting multiple musical performances and a fireworks display at Sunnyside Park. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds going toward next year's fireworks fund.
The fun begins at 5 p.m. Pullman Transit will begin running special routes directly to the park at 4:30 . Parking may be limited, but attendees can get to and from the park on Pullman Transit buses free of charge.
Claire Lyle's reporting is part of the Teen Journalism Institute, funded by Bank of America with support from the Innovia Foundation.