PORT TOWNSEND — The budget breakthrough in Olympia sent a sigh of relief through organizers of the Port Townsend Fourth of July fireworks show.
Without a state budget, the show planned for Saturday — the first public fireworks display in Port Townsend since 2012 — would not have happened.
The fireworks will be launched from state parkland on the beach adjacent to the Point Wilson Lighthouse.
“The fireworks display was the only part of the event that was in question,” said Daniel Milholland of Thunderbull Productions, which is organizing the event.
“We were able to move forward with the whole celebration, but the fireworks display was only permitted on state park property, so we were going to have to cancel the display.”
If a budget is not signed by the governor by Tuesday, then a partial government shutdown will result — and no one would be allowed on state park grounds after midnight Wednesday.
On Saturday, Gov. Jay Inslee said there would be no shutdown.
“We are pleased on so many levels,” said Teresa Verraes, executive director of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce.
“It is quite a relief.”
“We can continue forward with our fireworks display,” Milholland added.
“We are thrilled about it, and we are really happy that our leaders are able to come to a consensus and work together.”
The chamber plans an “Old School Fourth of July” celebration at Fort Worden State Park beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday on the parade grounds that will feature music, games, food and other activities, followed by a fireworks display at 10 p.m.
Saturday will be the grand finale of a celebration that begins Thursday with the Concert on the Dock and continues Friday with a free concert at Fort Worden.
If a shutdown had occurred, the non-fireworks activities would have gone on as planned, although the display would have been canceled, according to Brian Hageman, Fort Worden State Park manager.
That’s because all activities but for the fireworks are on land overseen by the Fort Worden Lifelong Learning Center Public Development Authority.
Verraes said organizers had considered other options for the fireworks show.
“But this was really our only option, so we would have continued the day with our fingers crossed and waited until the eleventh hour on July 3. I am glad we are on,” she said.
A closure of Fort Worden State Park would have resulted in evicting 63 customers and canceling 129 reservations, many of which were made more than a year ago.
Employees would have been paid during the shutdown.
“The idea that I might not get paid for a week or two doesn’t hurt me,” Hageman said last week.
“What does hurt is having to kick everyone out during our busiest time, when the park system is in the black and actually making some money,” he said.
Other state parks on the North Olympic Peninsula are Bogachiel near Forks, Dosewallips near Brinnon, Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island, Fort Townsend in Port Townsend, Anderson Lake State Park near Chimacum and Sequim Bay near Sequim.
The Old School Fourth of July celebration will be held at the same time as Centrum’s Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, set today through July 5.
Fiddle Tunes would have carried on, but campers might have had to move to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds at 4907 Landes St. in Port Townsend, said Rob Birman, Centrum executive director.
Birman was confident the Legislature would find a timely compromise, alluding to a similar scenario in 2013.
“Two years ago, we were in the same situation, and we were all set to move the entire Fiddle Tunes event to the fairgrounds,” Birman said.
“It’s better this year because the PDA is in place and our activities will continue even if the park portion is shut down.”
Dominic Svornich, a Chamber of Commerce board member who is managing the event, said this year’s fireworks display and the activities planned during the three-day celebration promise to be something special.
“It’s going to be great. People keep finding us to bring more activities and components to the event,” Svornich said, adding that he hopes the events attract at least 750 to 1,000 people.
Svornich said the chamber has raised about $25,000 to put on the three days of celebration, which will cover costs.
Said Verraes: “We have an exceptionally fun day planned and hope that people not only come for the fireworks but come for the entire day and bring their picnic blankets and their sweet tooth for free root beer floats.”
For many years, the Fourth of July fireworks show was sponsored by the Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary Club and businesses. When that funding was no longer available, the city took over in 2011.
After two years of supporting the fireworks, the city was unable to do so in 2013, and there was no display.
In spring 2014, the chamber attempted to put together a display, but by that time, both sponsorships and fireworks suppliers had already sold their available stock.
“A lot of people are excited to have something to do, and the fact that it is on Saturday makes it an easy option,” Svornich said.
“It’s free, family-friendly and should be very successful.”
For more information about the event, go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-July-4.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or at cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.