As the hosting neighborhood for the July Fourth fireworks, Wallingford swarms with cars, pedestrians and cyclists all day long.
At noon the Family 4th festivities began at Gas Works Park, and the Seattle Police Department blocked off nearby streets to ease congestion. We talked with two officers at N. 39th and Bagley, who said that last year there were officers at almost every blocked corner, but this year their numbers were cut by more than half. “The traffic’s always a mess,” said one officer, “but now people have to wander around to find someone to help them [get through the barricades].”
At 6:30 p.m. QFC was busy with shoppers stocking up for the trek down to Gas Works or for their celebrations closer to home. “Everyone was talking about the fireworks,” reader Vicki told us. Unsurprisingly, beer was the hottest seller.
As many fireworks fans know, you don’t need to go all the way to Gas Works for a great view of the pyrotechnic display. Each year, people emerge from their houses or stop on the streets below N. 45th that offer sight lines down to Lake Union.
Wide Wallingford Ave. has long been a prime fireworks-watching spot, and with the streets closed below N. 39th, the throngs know where to go.
After the fireworks, private shows of their own began in backyards, street corners and at Wallingford Playfield and Meridian Park. The explosions were persistent until about midnight. We were grateful that the cool night let us close all our windows.
Along N. 45th St., traffic moved smoothly, and the backups above the main drag seemed lighter than in recent years.
We talked with revelers along Burke Ave. close to Gas Works who told us that many neighbors leave for the Fourth of July to avoid all the commotion. It’s true, Wallingford does seem to become one big, loud party every Independence Day.
See also: Fireworks attendance much lower than expected
Plus: Thousands brave the rain with any shelter they can find
Thanks for the great pictures! How do we get the city to turn off the street lights south of 39th during the fireworks? Is that wishful thinking?
People on a houseboat just to the east of Gasworks all leaned to one side during the finale and at least 1 person fell off the second story deck into the water . There was a pretty massive fire dept response (honestly do they need 10 trucks for a water rescue) and transported one person to the hospital
Funny, as I was walking through Wallingford from Eastlake to Ballard after the show, my thought wasn’t about how there were too many street lights on, but about how many of the streetlights weren’t working. The number of close calls between pedestrians and vehicles along 40th alone was appalling. It probably didn’t help that half the drivers were probably legally drunk. And yet, so many cops working traffic duty, I doubt a single person got a DUI or reckless driving citation.