The City of Bethel’s Fourth of July celebration is fully returning on July 4 after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The annual parade through town will be followed by festivities in Pinky’s Park. Though the parade returned last year, the park vendors have not gathered since 2019.
Parade participants are asked to line up at 10 a.m. at the corner of First Avenue and Tundra Street, near Swanson’s Grocery. The parade begins at 11 a.m. and travels down 3rd Avenue to Watson’s Corner, where it veers northwest onto Ridgecrest Drive. It then moves west onto Osage Street, continuing to Akiachak Avenue and ending at Pinky’s Park.
At the park, vendors will run booths from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. In the past, vendors have sold food, toys, merchandise, and held games. To reserve a booth, vendors must pay the required city fee before 12 p.m. on July 1 at Bethel City Hall.
The city is looking for volunteers to help direct traffic away from the festivities and clean up after the celebration. To volunteer, contact Bethel City Manager Pete Williams at 907-543-1373 or citymanager@cityofbethel.net.
As the holiday weekend approaches, the Alaska Department of Public Safety reminds Alaskans that hot, dry conditions persist across much of the state, increasing the risk for fires. Across the state, 161 fires are burning, and the department has suspended fireworks across many regions of the state, but not the Kuskokwim Delta. However, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag warning for ripe fire conditions in the Kuskokwim Delta for most of this past week. The area is also under an air quality advisory from smoke conditions until July 3 at 8 p.m.
