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Anchorage — Start off Independence Day Monday with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. ($5), then check out the parade at 11 a.m. and festival from noon to 6 p.m., all at the Delaney Park Strip downtown. There will be a band performance at 12:30 p.m. and the Declaration of Independence will be read at 1 p.m. at the Anchorage Veterans Memorial flagpole. The annual Alaska Baseball League doubleheader between Anchorage's Glacier Pilots and Bucs is scheduled for 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. at Mulcahy Stadium. After the games, around midnight, fireworks will light up the sky at the ballpark. (16th Avenue and Cordova Street) More info: anchorage.net.
Eagle River / Chugiak — On Monday, there will be a community parade at 2 p.m. More info: Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce.
[Personal fireworks on July 4th? Probably illegal, unless you’re in Juneau or Houston]
Wasilla — The parade starts on Main Street at 11 a.m. Monday. Afterward, stick around for free hot dogs, games and music at the Mayor’s Picnic at Wonderland Park at Lucille Street. There will be carnival rides from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday at the Menard Sports Center. More info: wasillachamber.org/calendar.
Homer — The theme of this year's parade is "Celebrate our Heritage." It will begin at 6 p.m. Monday and progress down Pioneer Avenue. More info: homeralaska.org.
Seward — Independence Day and the epic Mount Marathon race will coincide to create one huge party, with a lot of people showing up Sunday to camp overnight. Fireworks start at 12:01 a.m. Monday at the waterfront. Juniors race at 9 a.m. Monday, the men race at 11 a.m., and, when they're wrapping up, Main Street will be cleared for the July Fourth parade at 1 p.m. Then the women will race up the mountain at 2:30 p.m. More info: seward.com.
Talkeetna — Enjoy the parade at noon Monday, then get ready for "Moose on the Loose," in which decorated wooden moose will be auctioned off in Village Park. More info: denaliartscouncil.com.
Fairbanks — An Independence Day 5K starts at 10 a.m. Monday. At 11 a.m., there will be food, family activities, a craft bazaar, entertainment and military colors ceremony at Pioneer Park. At 7 p.m., enjoy baseball as the San Francisco Seals take on the Alaska Goldpanners at Wilbur Street and Second Avenue, across from the Carlson Center.
North Pole — Get to the Fourth of July Pancake Feed early, and Santa’s Seniors, the event hosts, promise you’ll get a front row seat for the “Freedom in Motion” parade. They’ll be serving pancakes, sausage, juice, coffee and tea from 8-10:30 a.m. (Santa’s Senior Center, 101 E. Fifth Ave.). Suggested donation is $3-$6.
Juneau and Douglas — Head to Douglas Island on Sunday for a community picnic on Sandy Beach from 6-8 p.m. There will be a watermelon eating contest to kick things off, followed by a sand dollar search at 7 p.m. A soapbox racing challenge for ages 5-10 will shut down Queen Anne’s from 6-7:30 p.m. and a fireworks display on Gastineau Channel will commence at 11:59 p.m. that night. On Monday, the Juneau Parade will travel through downtown starting at 11 a.m. The Douglas parade will start at 2 p.m. at Gastineau School. There will be footraces at 3 p.m. in Savikko Park and the Douglas Community United Methodist Church will have its annual deep pit beef BBQ from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (or whenever the food runs out) at the corner of Third and E Street ($10-18). The final soapbox challenge is at 3 p.m.