Fireworks, parades, picnics and more: Where to celebrate Independence Day in the Inland Northwest
Many cities and towns across the Inland Northwest will return to traditional fireworks and parade celebrations for the Fourth of July this weekend and on Monday following pandemic-related restrictions.
If you’re still looking for activities to celebrate independence, here are some options from central Washington to North Idaho.
Spokane
Spokane will have a litany of Independence Day activities and firework displays from which to choose. Riverfront Park will host more than 20 food vendors and activity booths starting at noon Monday The Spokane Symphony will be putting on a free concert in the park at the U.S. Pavilion starting at 9 p.m., followed by fireworks that will be set off near the Great Northern Clock Tower at 10 .
Fans can also catch a fireworks display at Avista Stadium following the showdown on the diamond between the Spokane Indians and the visiting Tri-City Dust Devils. The game starts at 7:05 p.m. and tickets can be purchased for $8 to $22 through the team’s website.
Liberty Lake
In Liberty Lake, the Fourth of July celebration will begin with a concert from Spokane blues rock band Too Slim and the Taildraggers at 7 p.m. in Pavillion Park. Their firework display will begin at 10 and fireworks will be launched from the baseball fields between Liberty Creek and Liberty Lake elementary schools.
Moses Lake
The annual Moses Lake Freedom Festival kicks off Friday in McCosh Park, ending with a fireworks display on Sunday at 10 p.m.
At noon on Friday, McCosh Park will open for vendors and activities, and the day will wrap up with a screening of Disney’s “Encanto” at 8 p.m.
The park will reopen Saturday at 8 a.m. for a farmers market until 1 p.m. A cornhole tournament will kick off at 9 a.m. at the North Tennis Courts, and prospective competitors can register online for $50 a team at www.springfestivalinmoseslake.com. At 8 p.m. on Saturday, there will be a free concert from East Coast country music duo LoCash.
Festivities will wrap on Sunday with two more concerts, one from Texas-based rock band Cruise Control at 4 p.m. and one from local blues band Lake City Blues at 7 , both in McCosh Park. Fireworks will be launched at 10 Sunday.
Loon Lake
The Loon Lake Property Owners Association will start its fireworks display at 10 p.m. Sunday. The budget for this year’s display is $8,000, according to their website. The annual boat parade will start at 1 p.m. on Monday at the south end of the lake.
Participants are encouraged to get creative when decorating their boats, and there will be prizes available. Boaters interested in joining the parade are asked to register at 12:30 p.m. in Cedar Beau Bay, at a boat marked “Register Here.”
Palouse area
On the Palouse, there are a number of ways to spend Independence Day.
Albion, Washington, has a day full of community events planned, starting with a senior breakfast at the senior center and a horseshoe tournament at Albion Park, both at 9 a.m. The Albion parade will start at 10 a.m. at the Latter-day Saints Church on Main Street. There will be a flag ceremony at 11:30 a.m., followed by a community lunch in the park. The celebration will feature a petting zoo, a fish pond, water attractions, live music and a grease pole with a $100 prize for any child who reaches the top.
Pullman will start its celebration at 5 p.m. in Sunnyside Park with live performances from the Community Band of the Palouse and local icon Dan Maher. DJ Goldfinger, owner of the Lumberyard, will be spinning records from throughout the decades. Fireworks will be launched at dusk.
The annual BBQ will not be making a return this year, but concession items will be available for purchase. The Pullman Chamber of Commerce recommends using Pullman Transit to get to the park, as parking will be limited. Buses will begin running specialized routes to the park at 4:30 p.m. and will be free to ride.
Moscow, Idaho, will have its first Independence Day parade since 2004, but it is not associated with the city of Moscow, the Chamber of Commerce or Latah County government, said Kelsey Manning, a human resource specialist for the city of Moscow.
The Latah County Independence Day Parade is being put on by Advance Idaho, a new organization that recently applied for nonprofit status. The organization bills itself as a Christian economic development group, according to their website. The organization’s assumed business name certificate was filed April 12 by Joel Cohen, a prominent member of the Christ Church in Moscow. The parade starts at 10 a.m. on Main Street.
Coeur d’Alene
Independence Day festivities in downtown Coeur d’Alene will kick off with the American Heroes Parade on Sherman Avenue at 11 a.m. The parade features about 75 entries, and attracts more than 10,000 visitors each year. ”The Spirit of America” festival in City Park featuring live music and carnival rides will follow the parade, and wraps up at 7 p.m. Fireworks will be set off over the lake at dusk.
At the Coeur d’Alene Resort, the annual Lakeside 4th Fest starts with a cocktail social hour at 6 p.m., followed by a dinner buffet and live entertainment on the resort’s front lawn. Fireworks will begin at 9:45 . Tickets are $110 for adults, $45 for children 3 to 12 years old and admission is free for toddlers 2 years old or younger.
Although the family cruise is sold out, those looking to get a bit closer to the action can still purchase tickets for Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises’ Deluxe Fourth of July cruise. The 2½-hour cruise is available to those 21 years old and up and begins boarding at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $63.25, which includes hors d’oeuvres and two complimentary drinks. A spokesperson for the resort said there are around 90 tickets still available.
Sandpoint
Sandpoint’s annual Lions Club Fourth of July Celebration starts downtown at 9 a.m. with the kids’ parade, followed by the main parade at 10 a.m. The parade route starts on Fifth Avenue, then goes down Church Street, First Avenue and Cedar Street before returning to Fifth Avenue. The fireworks display will take place at Sandpoint City Beach at dusk.