In the Fairbanks area, there are two bases. Typically, January and July are the months when the soldiers with new assignments arrive. Thus, for many families the American National Holiday falls in their first week or two being in Alaska. For many of their kids, this holiday is a big disappointment and may be even nerve racking for the parents. Read this real life story, I observed regarding no Independence Day Fireworks in Fairbanks, and a solution that could have avoided the drama.
- Imagine 84 Days without Darkness
- Why Would People Shop for Fireworks?
- Alaskan Demography
- Fireworks Are the Exciting Part of Independence Day for the Kids
- For Kids Home-made Is Not the Real Thing
- Prepare the Kids Afore-hand of No Independence Day Fireworks in Fairbanks
- Do You Have White Nights Everywhere in Alaska?
- Outfit Ideas for 4th of July Activities
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Imagine 84 Days without Darkness
If you ever watched the movie Independence Day, you don’t need to be an American, to know that for every American family, watching the fireworks is a big tradition of the Independence Day celebration. In central Alaska, however, there is a problem called White Nights.
If Fairbanks parents would tell their kids to come home when it gets dark, they wouldn't see them for 84 days. #whitenights #Alaskacuriosa Click To Tweet” username=””]
The white nights are called so because it doesn’t get dark. There is daylight plus twilight 24-7 on the 4th of July (see diagram in this post). This means you could barely see fireworks if you would light fireworks. Thus, there are no official Independence Day fireworks in Fairbanks, Alaska.
You can imagine that I wondered for years why my grocery store and Costco offer fireworks for sale in the week prior to Independence Day. Who in Fairbanks would buy fireworks when there is no way to see them?
Why Would People Shop for Fireworks?
My only logic answer to my question was that there are always some people who don’t know what to do with their money. Pretty simple, right? However, on Independence Day a couple of years ago, I found another answer. Back then I learned that there are also some others who buy fireworks just in the hope to have their peace.
Alaskan Demography
The latter statement sounds funny, I know. Here is how it plays out. Only about 30% of the Alaskans are born in Alaska. The other new Alaskans came from the airport as a young father once explained to his son (see story at the link). This means the majority of the Alaskans moved here. Among them are many families with their young children, especially military families.
Fireworks Are the Exciting Part of Independence Day for the Kids
Kids in the age group of 5 to 9 remember well former celebrations of Independence Day with their parents in the Lower 48s or even abroad on base. They remember that they were allowed to stay up late to watch the fireworks. They remember that the fireworks were loud, they were colorful and gorgeous. They were exciting and breath taking … and the kids know for sure that they want to see the beautiful magic seemingly ever changing displays in the sky again.
Of course, comes the fourth of July, they ask to stay up late to watch the fireworks. They don’t believe their parents that there will be no fireworks in Fairbanks. The kids take “There are no fireworks on Independence Day in Fairbanks” as a lame excuse and keep on fighting to stay up late to watch the fireworks.
Day Light and the Drought Prohibit Fireworks
On that said national holiday a couple of years ago, I saw a mom breaking out in tears, when she ran out of arguments about why the kids could not watch the fireworks. She had explained patiently to her oldest kid that the farther north a location is in the Northern Hemisphere, the longer is the daylight, the shorter are the night hours during summer. “Because here we have white nights, it’s not dark enough for fireworks. Therefore, the Fairbanksans don’t do fireworks on the fourth. You can’t see them during daylight” she explained. Even this argument had failed.
The kid started crying in plain anger with a red face that looked like the head would explode. The kid had made fists ready to fight the mom. The toddler joined the older kid now also insisting to stay up for the fireworks. Probably, it was just enough for the toddler that the older kid wanted it to want it too. Or maybe it was just because mom had said “No.”
For Kids Home-made Is Not the Real Thing
The young mom was at the edge to a nervous breakdown, when finally, the father said “I will buy fireworks on the way home and make a firework for you guys.” This offer of making peace wasn’t well taken. On the contrary, it was like he had put fuel into the fire. The kid argued that they didn’t want Dad’s “home-made fireworks”, but the really big one like last year in Fort Worth. Now the kid shouted as loud as possible for all world to hear “Yours is not the real thing. It’s fake like mom’s pizza. Pizza Hut is better. I want to stay up to watch the fireworks like you and mom.” Meanwhile all visitors in sound range had turned looking at the family fight. The mom started crying in despair.
Prepare the Kids Afore-hand of No Independence Day Fireworks in Fairbanks
One solution to the problem is to talk before moving to Alaska that there will be only daylight in summer. Ask questions what they think how this fact would affect the lifestyle and make things different. Then lead them to what the daylight would mean for the Independence Day fireworks. Formulate the questions in such a way that one of the kids (typically the oldest) comes to the conclusion that the fireworks would not be visible when it is not dark. If you missed the “before deadline” make the preparation asap, once they realize that there is daylight all night.
Do You Have White Nights Everywhere in Alaska?
Well, not all cities in Alaska have white nights. Adak, for instance, is located in the Aleutian Chain at 51°53′0″N latitude and 176°38′42″W longitude. For comparison, Hamburg in Germany is at 53°34′N, 10°00′E, i.e. farther north than Adak. Edmonton, Alberta is located at 53°32′N, 113°30′W. At these latitudes, it gets dark enough for fireworks.
Just some fun facts for Alaska fans:
Did you ever think about that Alaska has the farthest eastern (Peaked Island at 52°55′20″N 172°26′35″E in the Aleutians located west of Cape Wrangell on Attu Island), farthest northern Point Barrow (71° 23’N) and farthest western (Amatignak Island in the Aleutians at 51°15′44″N 179°06′31″W) point of the 50 states of the US? This fun fact is because Alaska crosses the 180o east-west meridian. Thus, some islands of the Aleutian Chain have coordinates with eastern longitudes.
Outfit Ideas for 4th of July Activities
Last but not least, besides play triva, if it’s a rainy day, you could have a patriotic puzzle for July 4th to keep the kids busy.
Since it is a tradition to dress in patriotic colors on Independence Day, here some red-white and blue outfit inspirations for those who work that day and those who can enjoy all the celebrations and play. Read these five tips to look your best patriotic attire.
What would you have done in the mom’s situation? What are your National Day traditions? Let me know, I am curious.
I wish all my American readers a Happy Independence Day.
Photos of me: G. Kramm
Other photos: N. Mölders
© 2013-2022 Nicole Mölders | All rights reserved
