July 4th in Juneau

[mommybearx2]

As we get closer and closer to making our decision as to which cruise line, itinerary and dates to travel, am wondering what past cruisers have experienced in Juneau for 4th of July celebrations. We are going in June or July 2013. Either Princess or NCL. Thank you for your time and Happy Fourth of July!

[mattt1]

Very interesting..

 

personally, I don't have any experience in this area.. but I would love to hear suggestions from other members..

[mapleleaves]

Juneau has a web site for the July 4 celebrations! Google it for last yr or this year for info and photos.

[mommybearx2]

Thank you for the Google Tip. I am hoping that cruisers from this year will see the post and maybe respond when they return. We love seeing how different parts of the country celebrate the Fourth of July. I came from a very small town and the Devil Dog Eating Contest and Watermelon Spitting Contests were a highlight!

[tee_harbor]

Thank you for the Google Tip. I am hoping that cruisers from this year will see the post and maybe respond when they return. We love seeing how different parts of the country celebrate the Fourth of July. I came from a very small town and the Devil Dog Eating Contest and Watermelon Spitting Contests were a highlight!

 

Well, from an actual local, I always encourage cruisers to enjoy a Fourth in one of the Alaska cities if they can. For some reason, the Fourth is the biggest holiday of the year and even for tourist towns, the city shuts down. The big tourist shops and excursions will be open, but some of the locals shops, cafes and even tours may not be. Always good to check if you want something specific.

 

Juneau has the parade in its downtown, then the whole thing moves over to the Douglas Island, to its small downtown and everyone goes around again. We have a wide range of floats and groups, from the Tlingit Elvis, to the grad students coming down from the glacier dressed like ice worms, to the Sons of Norway, to our classic car club. Anyone and everyone who wants to enter it, can. There's still candy tossed.

 

Many houses in the Juneau and Douglas downtowns are decorated in bunting for a good month before the Fourth, making nice photo ops.

 

Most of the activities are on Douglas after the parade, although there's generally a BBQ going on somewhere in Juneau. There's the final of the soapbox derby, a sandcastle contest, and food booths over in Douglas town and down on Sandy Beach. The only problem for a tourist is, the buses are not running on the Fourth, but it would be a cheap taxi ride.

 

Also unfortunately for tourists, the fireworks start at midnight and even the late vessels leave at about 11-11:30. But the captains will generally go very slowly down the channel so late nighters can see as much as they can.

[mommybearx2]

Thank you especially for tip about buses. Did not think about that. I have learned so much from this board since March. I actually copy and paste tips and have them saved in a file which I am printing for everyone. Is it safe to assume that the tours from cruise ship and independent operators will be runniing that day?

[donaldsc]

Although it is not directly related to your post, I was in Fairbanks last July 4 and was in Fairbanks last July 4. Needless to say, there were no fireworks.

 

DON