Arts & Entertainment Community

Gig Harbor to celebrate the Fourth with a parade and pie (but still no fireworks)

Posted on June 29th, 2026 By: Vince Dice

Gig Harbor will formally celebrate the Fourth of July for the first time in recent memory this year.

But that doesn’t mean you can use fireworks inside city limits. The city banned those potentially dangerous playthings back in 2022.

Even without explosives, though, the community will soup up its Independence Day celebration this year. Festivities include a kids-and-pets parade, a pie-eating contest and more.

Of course, this is no average Fourth of July. It’s the semiquincentennial, AKA the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Parade

The city of Gig Harbor, Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce, Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance and others organized the formal celebration, which runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Skansie Brothers Park.

The parade starts at 10 a.m., with a route starting on Judson Street and proceeding down Soundview and Harborview drives before concluding at Skansie Park.

This photo is from the Maritime Gig Festival Grande Parade on June 6 along Harborview Drive. You can expect similarly patriotic garb on July 4. Photo by Larry Steagall

Participants are encouraged to dress or decorate in a patriotic theme.

Organizers ask those entering the parade to register, in part to gauge how many people will participate and to ensure that all pets involved are vaccinated. Registration is open here.

A $10 registration fee for the .4 mile, eight-minute walk (according to Google Maps) will “cover a little bit of staff overtime,” Chamber President Miriam Battson said.

“It’s really not going to be a ton and we didn’t want to charge what we normally charge for the Maritime Gig festival,” Battson said. “This is really not a money-making event.

“It’ll help cover some of the costs. There’s a lot of components to this.”

Pie-eating contest

The pie-eating competition starts at 11:15, with divisions for kids and adults and a “police vs. firefighter” showdown.

The rules of the pie-eating competition requires participants to go “fork-free and face-first” and to “open your mouth for a judge to verify” that the entire pastry was consumed.

The pie-eating competition is free to enter. Click here to register.

Complete schedule

The parade starts on Judson Street. All other events at Skansie Brothers Park.

10 a.m.: Kids and Pets Parade, Harbor Sounds of Freedom band performance

10:30 a.m.: Welcome from Mayor Mary Barber, flag-raising, national anthem, sing-along at the Pavilion Stage

11 a.m.: Hot dog stands, popcorn and popsicle stands and netshed open

11:15 a.m.: Pie-eating competition begins

12:30 p.m.: Reading of the Declaration of Independence

12:45 p.m.: Balloon toss competition

1:15 p.m.: Pie bake-off competition

1:45 p.m.: Awards and closing statements

The annual Maritime Gig Festival Grande Parade in Gig Harbor along Harborview Drive on Saturday, June, 6, 2026. Photo by Larry Steagall

Fireworks laws

Fireworks have been verboten inside city limits for several years now, and Gig Harbor Police typically report few violations after the Fourth.

In unincorporated Pierce County, people may discharge fireworks only between 10 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on the Fourth of July. Fireworks stands outside city limits can sell the explosives only from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. between June 29 and July 4.

South Sound 911, which serves both the city of Gig Harbor and unincorporated Pierce County, asks that people report fireworks violations online. Click here to make a report.

For cases in which fireworks caused an injury or started a fire, call 911 as usual.

It’s also worth noting that a Stage 1 burn ban went into effect in Pierce County starting June 1. The ban applies to land-clearing fires and burning yard debris. Barbecues and small recreational fires are OK.

Weather and nearby fireworks displays

As of Monday, June 29, the National Weather Service predicted a “mostly sunny” Fourth, with a high temperature in the mid-70s.

If you’re looking for an organized fireworks show, options include:

Port Orchard’s Fathoms of Fun fireworks show will begin around 10 p.m. on Friday, July 3. The fireworks launch from the Port of Bremerton’s Marina Park in Port Orchard and are visible from most waterfront locations in that town and in Bremerton.

Tacoma’s Fourth of July Summer Blast celebration launches fireworks starting around 10 p.m. Saturday, July 4. The fireworks are visible from the Ruston Way Waterfront, Dune Peninsula Park and Jack Hyde Park.