Despite rain, Nomeites celebrate Independence Day
Fourth of July was wet and misty, but it didn’t stop Nomeites from filling Front Street at 11 a.m. for the parade for the 248th birthday celebration of the USA, and the 123rd Independence Day celebration in Nome, Alaska.
At first, families and friends huddled with each other and under any awning or umbrella but, as soon as the sirens started whirling, excitement overtook any soggy reluctance. Kids splashed in puddles everywhere, and parents watched with delight and care. Xtra-tuffs were the chosen footwear of the day, with Crocs a close second. A bubble machine poured forth from the apartment window above the Polar Bar. Children outnumbered adults, at least by two to one. Red, white, and blue prevailed.
The parade sauntered down Front Street as children let out cries of joy, perhaps for the copious amounts of candy being tossed at them from float riders. Sirens wailed and a surprising number of kids had ear protection on. Flags fluttered in the front of the parade and families filled the floats and fire engines, with their alarming noises, followed up the rear.
After the vehicles and floats were parked, people coalesced in front of City Hall, where a patriotically trimmed small white stage was set up. Flagmen stood in formation to the side of it as Girl Scout Troop 342 recited the Pledge of Allegiance in English, then in Iñupiaq.
Jackie Reader followed with renditions of the National Anthem and the Alaska Flagsong.
Then the St. Lawrence dancers performed a welcome song.
Drew McCann, for the Rotary Club, awarded local author and the Visitor Center’s star greeter, Leon Boardway, with the Nome Citizen of the Year, which included a plaque and much applause.
Prayer commenced, with the pastor encouraging all to “use that freedom to love others” and everyone shared in a communal Amen.
Mayor John Handeland took the stage next, offering a bellowing “Happy Birthday, America,” followed by his disclosing that he forgot his speech, but he didn’t fret it, saying, “the fact that I woke up this morning made it a great day.” He encouraged, ironically, to not let anything rain on our rather wet parade, before touching on his own immigrant parent’s experience.
From there, it was off to the races.
Trike races, bike races, slow bike races, oh my. Including many, many subdivisions of ages and gender. Members of Nome Joint Utility Services and the Recreation Center were handing out the prizes at the finish line for first, second and third place. Cheers and familial and friendly adoration abounded. Some of the city workers were decked out like campy Uncle Sams. Laughs were exceptionally bountiful for the 3-legged races and gunny sack races.
The new event of the year was the Chicken Suit Race, which had contestants riding blown-up, human-size chickens. Some of them even made noises like chickens. Everyone raced awkwardly in their suits, as intended, and the crowd roared in laughter. Local, Son Erickson, took home the victory, and the top three finishers received a rotisserie chicken.
This year Nome decided that the chicken comes before the egg.
Egg races were the penultimate events of the day, where contestants ran with an uncooked egg balanced on a spoon. Splatter ensued.
The last event was the pie eating contest. No hands allowed, all glory, one whole pie each. Eighteen kids and adults took seats beside one another for the competition. Although there were some creative eaters, and a lot of messy eaters, none were as swift as Drew McCann, who was the pie eating champion of 2024.
Everyone dispersed from the celebration sodden, yet nary a soul wasn’t warm and happy looking, filled with community, comradery, and a strong sense of independence.