Seattle fireworks show goes on thanks to corporate sponsors, public donations

With funds seemingly dried up, the producers of Seattle’s annual fireworks show had thrown in the towel. But Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, the producers of Seafair and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce wouldn’t hear of it.

Seafair, the producers of some of our other favorite Seattle summertime events, along with a handful of corporate sponsors, and contributions from a non-profit fund are making sure the show will go on.

Seattle Kitchen’s Tom Douglas, or at least, his restaurants, along with Amazon, DoubleDown Interactive, Microsoft, Starbucks and Wells Fargo are sponsoring the Independence Day fireworks show over Lake Union.

“We live in a great city,” said Mayor Mike McGinn. “I’m proud of the sponsors that stepped up and I’m proud of everybody in the city who wanted to preserve this civic tradition,” he said during an announcement in Seattle.

The mayor worked with Seafair and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce to put a plan together for a sustainable fireworks show in Seattle.

The corporate sponsors have committed to supporting the event for at least the next three years.

Organizers would not say how much the event will cost except to acknowledge that it is less than previous producer One Reel’s budget of $500,000.

“Seafair is stepping up to become the sponsor of the event and make this a ‘Seafair Signature Event,'” said McGinn.

One Reel, which has handled The Family 4th at Lake Union in the past, is not involved in the plan for the new fireworks event.