Juneauites take the Fourth of July very
seriously. Our traditional fireworks celebration begins on July 3 at 11:59pm instead of July 4th as generally done in the Lower 48. It's held at midnight
because that's usually the only time it is dark enough in Southeast Alaska to see the fireworks in the night sky. It's a unique part of life in Alaska, kinda like playing baseball at midnight.
2013 was my first year viewing the festivities from downtown Juneau; in previous years I've watched the fireworks from Douglas Island, which offers a whole other view, with a panorama of downtown Juneau. Each year, a barge is floated out to the Gastineau Channel, between downtown Juneau and Douglas Island, and the waterway is popular with fishing boats, skiffs, and cruise ships.
The Juneau area is notorious for fog and rain, but that didn't stop the party. The fireworks schedule wasn't deterred by the rainy evening. Fireworks were fairly visible in the night sky, and the reflection on the water of the boats, massive cruise ships, and colorful fireworks was remarkable and breathtaking.
Hope you enjoy my photos and videos of this spectacular evening. Be sure to listen to the boats and ships blaring their horns in minute 3:08 of my video below!