A second Fourth
June 25, 2008
By Emily Keller
City preps for Fourth on the Plateau, residents should be aware of
parking, traffic restrictions
City officials are getting ready to party.
The second annual Fourth on the Plateau celebration at the City Hall Plaza and Sammamish Commons Park is expected to draw 20,000 people this year, and party planners are working to make sure all of them have a good time.
“We’re such a new city. We don’t have a lot of community events like this,” said Dawn Sanders, the city’s volunteer coordinator, proclaiming her excitement about the upcoming July 4 event. “The idea is just to picnic and relax and enjoy your family.”
The park will open at noon and the party starts at 6 p.m. with two local bands: a classic 80s band called Dance Factory, and Idol Eyez, a cover band that plays pop, rock, alternative, dance and disco music from the 70s to the 90s. Admission is free and fireworks start at 10:15 p.m.
The Commons is located by City Hall, at the corner of 228th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 8th Street.
Tim Larson, the city’s communications director, said the Fourth of July celebration is significant because it unifies the city.
“Last year was a great event and a great moment for the community,” said Larson. “We got a ton of positive responses from everybody afterwards and what everyone commented on was that getting thousands of thousands of people together had indicated that Sammamish has become a community.”
This year, planners have added a new family fun zone to encourage people to congregate at the Lower Commons Park instead of the upper one, where most guests stayed last year. This will include a kids play area with bouncy toys, clowns, balloons and ice cream.
One of the reasons for this addition is that the area of the Upper Commons Park where guests watched the fireworks last year will be closed to party-goers beginning next year because there will be a new library there, and city officials want guests to get used to the new spot now.
Planners are also cautioning guests that traversing the trail from City Hall Plaza to the Lower Commons Park is difficult with strollers. That trail will also be closed for fireworks cleanup from 10:50 p.m., when the show ends, until 11:30 p.m.
Planners have also more than doubled the number of port-a-potties from last year’s celebration, which drew 12,000 people.
Guests are allowed to bring food, but can also buy food as well as crafts at the party. However, alcohol, fireworks, pets, barbecues and weapons are prohibited. Many vendors will accept cash only and there will be no ATM machines, so guests should plan to bring cash with them.
Planners are encouraging guests to park as far away as they can to comfortably walk to the event, especially at Skyline or Eastlake high schools. The Mary Queen of Peace parking lot will be reserved for cars of four or more people. Parking for the disabled will be available at City Hall. Placards and decals will be required.
Parking far away may also help guests to drive home faster, as the city will prohibit vehicles from making left turns or U-turns from 228th Avenue between 6 p.m. and midnight at the intersections of East Main Street, Southeast Fourth Street, Southeast Eighth Street, Southeast 10th Street, Southeast 13th Street, Southeast 16th Street and Southeast 20th Street.
Parking will be prohibited from noon July 4 until 6 p.m. July 5 on Southeast Fourth Street from 218th
Avenue to 228th Avenue, Southeast 22nd Place north and south of Southeast Fourth Street, Southeast Eighth Street from 228th Avenue to 244th Avenue and an unnamed street that runs south from southeast 4th Street to Sammamish Commons.
Microsoft Corp. donated $25,000 for this year’s event, which will costs at least $80,000 to put on, according to Sanders. Sponsors also include Plateau Jewelers, Whole Food Market and the Sammamish Review.
To find out more about becoming a volunteer for the event, contact Dawn Sanders at 295-0556 or dsanders@ci.sammamish.wa.us. For event information visit http://www.ci.sammamish.wa.us/4thjuly.aspx
Reporter Emily Keller can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or ekeller@isspress.com.
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