FOURTH OF JULY: Seattle Parks’ annual lights-on plan to deter fireworks use

| Holidays | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Reader photo, 2020, fireworks debris at a local park – one that did NOT have lights on)

Every year, Seattle Parks announces it’s keeping lights on for a few hours on the night of July 3rd and 4th at certain locations to try to deter fireworks use. It’s just announced this year’s list. Lights will go on around 8:30 pm and off at 11 pm this Saturday and Sunday at locations including these in West Seattle:

Delridge Playfield, 4458 Delridge Way SW
Hiawatha Playfield, 2700 California Ave. SW
Walt Hundley Playfield, 6920 34th Avenue SW
West Seattle Stadium, 4432 35th Ave. SW

The Parks announcement notes that fireworks, among other things, destroy artificial turf, which would cost more than a million dollars to replace on a full-size field. Also noted: “The fields will be monitored by security from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.”

P.S. We’re checking with other jurisdictions with local parks/sports facilities to find out about their deterrence plans, if any.

Erithan July 1, 2021 (2:21 pm)

Super worried about fires this year with the lack of rain. >< Hope the lights help out, wish we had more at the little plaza park.

Just wondering July 1, 2021 (3:11 pm)

How about sprinklers on instead?

WSB July 1, 2021 (3:13 pm)

I don’t believe there are sprinklers on artificial turf fields. I honestly don’t know of many parks where there ARE sprinklers at all. They’ve fallen out of favor (not to mention the cost) in recent years.

LAH July 1, 2021 (3:39 pm)

They should also be leaving the lights on at Solstice Park Tennis Courts!

norsegirl July 1, 2021 (3:41 pm)

I’ll be out in my yard with hose at the ready. Each year my neighbor puts on a spectacular (albeit illegal, traumatic to animals and people, threatening to properties) firework display. I hope he for once exercises sensibilities and does not have his firework party.

awaitingdisdain July 1, 2021 (4:47 pm)

I love the idea of having the sprinklers on – Parks Dept., please do this on the Alki playfield!

Elisa Kay Sparks July 3, 2021 (2:41 pm)

Yes Please! Alki playfield is active with fireworks until 2:00 AM. They hardly get started by midnight, so turning lights off at 11:00 is laughable.

Abyk July 1, 2021 (5:00 pm)

Where and when can we see legal or city sponsored fireworks from west seattle?

WSB July 1, 2021 (6:23 pm)

There are none this year. Most major 4th events were canceled months ago because there was no way to know that large gatherings would be OK by now, and planning for these events requires months of work – TR

KM July 1, 2021 (5:49 pm)

Would be great to see schools do this too. They can take a break from leaving on their interior lights overnight to do so.

Sigh July 1, 2021 (6:09 pm)

Unfortunately people were putting off fireworks past 2am at the Delridge park in other areas around the park such as the skate area which is far away from the lights.

Kyle July 1, 2021 (6:40 pm)

The highland park lights aren’t on this list because they haven’t work for over a year.

WSB July 3, 2021 (8:19 pm)

No, the HP lights have never been on this list, which has been the same for years. That aside, have the lights you mention been reported, via Find It Fix It or some other way?

Flivver July 1, 2021 (6:43 pm)

ABYK. Edmonds and Everett are putting on shows. They’re supposed to have a lot of shells to fire off. That would probably be the closest “officially sanctioned” fireworks. I hear that a wealthy homeowner on the south end of Vashon put’s on a good show every year(no idea if he’ll do it this year).

neighbor July 1, 2021 (6:47 pm)

how can we get word to ppl in charge that Madison Middle School’s field is a major hotspot for fireworks, every year.

anonyme July 1, 2021 (7:33 pm)

You know what else works really well to deter fireworks? A year in jail or a $5,000 fine, both allowed by law in Seattle. Dole out a few of these, and this nonsense would stop.

heartless July 2, 2021 (11:10 am)

Yes, this. Sometimes it’s just as simple as enforcing the laws already on the books.

Jim P. July 1, 2021 (10:53 pm)

Turning the lights off way to early. The really heavy drinkers/igniters don’t even get started much before midnight and peak around 2 AM when the bars boot them out and they recall that trunk full or mortar rounds they still have.

4th of July! Oh my! July 2, 2021 (1:48 am)

Here is my living room window directly across from Hamilton View Point, 7/4/2020!! As we all know, there were no professional shows last year but this was my view from my living room. Just sat on the couch and saw my living room light up. I hope they close the gates at the viewpoint there and also monitor it. It is so dry over there! In this picture, there is nothing between my house and the fireworks, it is coming from the viewpoint! It will need constant patrolling this entire weekend and keep the gates shut!

Kmalloy July 2, 2021 (9:27 am)

11 pm? How is that a deterrence? How about all night long. Bombs will be going off in Hiawatha all night from Saturday through Monday as they always do – how does 11pm make sense.

helpermonkey July 2, 2021 (10:40 am)

this isn’t going to help the onslaught of fireworks that already began last weekend in Arbor Heights/White Center. Just really, really hoping no one’s house gets burnt down this year due to illegal fireworks.

Mj July 2, 2021 (11:47 am)

Anyone that can afford fireworks can afford to pay the fine for illegally setting them off, a great revenue enhancement opportunity for the City!

Dan July 3, 2021 (12:38 am)

Let the bridge be good for something and let people set their fireworks off ON the bridge. (Keyword there being ON and not off of and onto everything below) It would be fairly safe and give the city a fireworks show that wasn’t at the taxpayers expense. That’s just my $.02

Mj July 3, 2021 (12:38 pm)

Other Cities are planning on fining people who illegally set off fireworks, Seattle needs to do the same. If someone has money to buy fireworks they can pay a fine for illegally setting them off.