FOURTH OF JULY: Seattle Parks will turn on lights at some fields again this year

| Holidays | Safety | West Seattle news

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

Here’s the annual announcement – the list of fields where Seattle Parks will turn on the lights for a few hours on the Fourth of July – and, this year, the preceding night – in hopes of discouraging fireworks use. Below, you’ll see the West Seattle list (for the full citywide list, go here):

Seattle Parks and Recreation will turn on field lighting on ballfields throughout the city on the evening of Monday, July 3 and Tuesday, July 4 to protect the surfaces. The ballfield lights will be turned on at approximately 8:30 p.m. and most will be turned off at either 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., depending on the field.

The lights will be turned on to discourage the use of fireworks. Fireworks are illegal in the city of Seattle and will destroy the artificial turf on the fields or surrounding facilities. The approximate replacement cost for the synthetic surface based on per average full-size field (110,000 square feet) is $1.2 million. All the fields have been renovated in the past several years and benefit field users including players of soccer, football, baseball, Ultimate Frisbee and lacrosse.

The fields will be monitored from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Lights at the following fields will be turned off at 11 p.m.:

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

(Last year, Parks turned on the lights for three nights.) As for Seattle Public Schools fields, they have not historically had a similar plan, but we’re checking. Also of note: Though the Parks news release doesn’t mention it, Hiawatha is currently undergoing a field renovation, and Delridge is just starting one.

Anthony July 3, 2023 (2:52 pm)

I’m worried people will go to the east side of the community center at Hiawatha to light fireworks since the field is chained off. There are no lights working on the East side of the building, Which makes for a big dark space

Jethro Marx July 3, 2023 (10:29 pm)

Odd that you chose to broadcast this information to the public, unless you’re hoping people will congregate there to set off fireworks.

K July 3, 2023 (3:01 pm)

This is the one time of the year I wish schools would leave their lights on overnight. Not the other 360 days of the year they insist on doing so. Also, 11pm seems a tad early to be turning the lights off at those fields.

937 July 3, 2023 (5:18 pm)

Where did the other 4 go?
- K July 3, 2023 (8:10 pm)
  
  Fireworks are a 5 day extravaganza!

Tom Riley July 3, 2023 (4:37 pm)

Keep the lights on all night. At 11, the buzz and stupidity is just kicking in. Also, fill the kiddie pool with water, as well. That’s another favorable launching pad.

anonyme July 3, 2023 (6:29 pm)

They’re just getting warmed up at 11; what does “monitored” mean? This is a typical, ineffectual Seattle approach to a problem. If even a few of these scofflaws were slapped with the maximum fines allowed, this BS would stop.

Oh Seattle July 3, 2023 (6:45 pm)

I’ve lived in 7 major U.S. cities and none of them are remotely like Seattle on 4th of July. I’d bet there aren’t as many fireworks set off in 10 years in other cities as there will be in just West Seattle tomorrow night. I’m long gone this year and will enjoy the holiday in an environment that doesn’t feel like a war zone and I won’t be worried about my yard or roof being set on fire.

rob July 3, 2023 (6:57 pm)

to bad the lights cant arrest people.

Wseattleite July 3, 2023 (10:13 pm)

Nice one Rob. Agreed.

Sleepless July 3, 2023 (8:24 pm)

Fireworks were going off last night.

N July 3, 2023 (10:11 pm)

You either love it or hate it, but wouldn’t expect anything different from Seattle. Actually enforcing it and issuing a few citations wouldn’t even be difficult.

Rhonda July 4, 2023 (12:12 am)

If only we had 364 days to prepare.

anonyme July 4, 2023 (5:14 am)

I’m here posting at 5:11 a.m. because a series of bombs went off in Arbor Heights at 4 a.m. I know of no other city that has this issue, which ironically coincides with the fact that this city has little enforcement of any kind. Funny how that works.

als July 5, 2023 (12:03 am)

Getting a little old at alki. Very loud tonight and still going off and will continue going off on all dry evenings from now through September. If people want to blow stuff up on the 4th, for a few hours, I truly don’t care. Amurica and all that. But it’s midnight – and there’s no possible way to sleep naturally, and it’s outrageous and completely absurd we’re expected, EXPECTED, to put up with this.