Does the Haines Fourth of July need a shot in the arm?
Residents at Tlingit Park festivities Tuesday commented on the recent loss of several long-time holiday events, including the mud volleyball tournament, pie-eating contest, fire-hose battle and commercial fireworks display.
Haines Chamber of Commerce President John Hagen said a variety of factors has caused events to slip away, including liability concerns and baby-boomer retirements that have stripped events of volunteers.
“One of the challenges is that a lot of groups in town are in flux. There are changing missions and less money to do things. All it takes is one person retiring and an event dies or goes dormant,” Hagen said.
The Chamber once organized Independence Day activities, but in recent years has limited its involvement to sponsoring the parade and paying for insurance for it and for the Mount Ripinsky Run.
“Like a lot of other groups, we have financial concerns. We have to pick and choose what we can support,” Hagen said. “We live in a litigious society. Insurance can be a deal-breaker for activities.”
Reversing the trend to a shrunken Fourth will take organizational support from individuals and businesses, and maybe the borough government, Hagen said.
“Maybe there needs to be a ringleader of sorts. Maybe just somebody who loves the Fourth of July… At the very least, groups need a little bit of planning on this activity, whether it be a (borough) Parks and Rec (Advisory Committee) thing or what. The Chamber could be a part of that,” he said.
Allowing the holiday to shrink also is an option, Hagen said. He said he has a sister in Juneau who likes coming to Haines for a low-key holiday. “It could very well just become a locals’ event, too.”
For four consecutive years, the town has been without a commercial fireworks display. Instead, residents are permitted to set off consumer-grade fireworks on Portage Cove beaches on the night of July 4.