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Dave Ross and Luke Burbank have some ideas on how to keep the Fourth of July fireworks show going at Lake Union. (AP Photo/file)

A few ideas to save Seattle's Fourth of July fireworks show

BY Jamie Skorheim  on March 5, 2013 @ 11:44 am (Updated: 1:08 pm - 3/5/13 )

After the public stepped up to save Seattle's Fourth of July fireworks show in 2010, the show's producers are going to the pot again, asking for donations for the 2013 show. But KIRO Radio's Dave Ross who actually launched the 2010 drive for donations is doubtful this route can continue to deliver.

"What was the key to our effort in 2010 was there was this outpouring of support and part of it was because nobody could even conceive of the idea of the fireworks being in trouble so there was a spontaneous aspect which I think is going to be impossible to duplicate," says Ross.

"A lot of people said, 'Well let's do this every year.' I said, 'You can only have a real emergency once.' You can't rerun the same emergency a second and third time, because then it is not an emergency."

One Reel, the event producer's of the Family Fourth at Lake Union, say they need to raise $500,000 by March 31 to move forward with a 2013 show.

"If the funds are not raised to safely produce the event, One Reel will not execute the event in 2013 and will begin planning for 2014," says a message at the Family4th.org website.

The website has already begun collecting donations, but Dave notes their pie chart is nowhere near full. It looks like only about an eighth of the money needed has been raised. If Dave's right that the sense of urgency present in the 2010 campaign can't carry over year after year, what are the other options? Dave and co-host Luke Burbank have come up with a few.

Luke's first suggestion is to charge for admission.

"What if they charged $2 a person at Gas Works? Don't you think most people would probably pay that?" says Luke.

The One Reel website says the annual Fourth of July show serves half a million people in the community, so Luke says if you charge each person just $1 that should cover it.

But Dave points out a big portion of that number is probably folks that watch the show on TV, so how would you get their $1?

So, if people paying to get in won't cover it, might they pay for other services that could help raise funds?

"What if they did this, free beer but it's $200 to use the Port-a-Potty," says Luke. "Because I would pay that sometimes if I've had enough free beer."

In Dave's experience, he says this might not be a good idea.

"Here's the thing, my experience with crowds where that has been the case, my last experience was Woodstock '94, a yellowish creek begins to run across the event grounds."

Luke has one more potential solution, that at least would preserve the show for that portion that would be happy to watch it on TV: replay last year's show.

"They could just put it on TV and I wouldn't know it wasn't happening in real life."

If you're not sold on these solutions, but determined to attend the fireworks show on Lake Union this year, they're still in need of a couple hundred thousand dollars. Donations can be made here.

Jamie Skorheim, MyNorthwest.com Editor
Whether it's floating on Green Lake, eating shrimp tacos at Agua Verde, or taking weekend drives out to the Cascades, she loves to enjoy the Pacific Northwest lifestyle as much as humanly possible.
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Comments (19)


  • Add A Comment

  • cdbtx wrote...
    First
    March 5, 2013 5:17 pm
    How much money is One Reel making off of the show? They use the proceeds from this show to fund other projects and pad their pockets...

    I say scratch it... go visit some of the smaller displays in the area.. parking is better, cheaper, and the family atmosphere tends to be much better too.

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  • John wrote...
    I like how people always expect the rich to bail out any civic event
    March 5, 2013 6:01 pm
    But you listen to Patty Murray, the rich are not taxed enough. Those mean "millionaires and billionaires" don't pay their fair share. Does that sound familiar? If I were one of those rich folks, which I am not, I would tell you go cry on Patty Murray's shoulder, because maybe they are sick of people telling them they don't do enough.
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  • bradj1001 wrote...
    The problem with Emergencies..
    March 5, 2013 7:35 pm
    You are right, Dave. You can't replay emergencies over and over again. The public loses interest and life goes on. Kinda like our ineffectual government and their make believe emergencies designed to forward a political agenda and party. I like fireworks. I don't much care for self serving idealists on either side of the aisle with amped up hyperbole designed to inflame the easily duped. Raise a flag on the 4th. Reflect on what it really means to be independant. Small town fireworks and parades are more rewarding Seattle's show has ever been.
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  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    If Seattle is going to not have the Blue Angels
    March 5, 2013 11:52 pm
    Delete the fireworks ...How much of the money goes to China for the shells?
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  • cdbtx wrote...
    Many of the
    March 6, 2013 5:29 am
    shells that you see for the large shows are American made - since the Gov't has banned importation of most of the larger product.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Probable all of them for professional shows.
    March 6, 2013 5:40 am
    Shells usually have to be hand assembled for desired visual effects. Maybe some stock shells, but the bigger professional shows want special effects.
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