We’re a week away from one of the grandest days in the year – the Fourth of July. The day offers a variety of exciting community activities in both Issaquah and Sammamish. It also presents an unnecessary danger to the community in the form of illegal fireworks.

Both Issaquah and Sammamish flat out ban the use of fireworks. Unfortunately, they are allowed in unincorporated King County from 9 a.m. to midnight.

The sad truth is that as exciting as it is to see and hear them explode, each year scores or more people nationally will be hurt, disfigured or killed by our fixation with fireworks. There’s no reason to put ourselves or those we love at risk, given the wide-variety of July Fourth community events that provide excitement that is both safe and sane.

Around here, Sammamish will have a full-blown celebration at the Upper Common and Lower Commons that includes a variety of food vendors, music, a kids play area with six bouncy toys, and – of course, fireworks starting at 10 p.m. Nothing a person can shoot off at home can come close to matching the spectacular show planned by professionals.

Issaquah, too, has much to offer on the Fourth. The day – Down Home Fourth of July and Heritage Day – combines family fun including a Kids ‘n Pets Parade, pony rides, water balloon fun, and such traditional events as a gunnysack and three-legged races. The heritage comes with activities at the Issaquah Depot Museum that includes making a cedar shingle, eating freshly churned butter, cranking an old-fashioned laundry “mangle” to wring water out of clothes and a chance to work the pump car down the railroad tracks.

All together, the two cities provide not only safe and sane events, but those that are fun for everyone,

– Craig Groshart, Issaquah & Sammamish Reporter