Celebrate July 4th in Juneau and Douglas, Alaska: 2025 Guide

Remember old movies that had a July 4th celebration as part of the story? Lots of red, white, and blue bunting, flags everywhere, kids running after floats to pick up candy, bands, the works? You can have all that and more when you’re in Juneau, Alaska for the July 4^th  holiday.

Why July 4th in Juneau Is Worth Experiencing

Juneau is something of a happy throwback to a simpler, slower time. If you’re looking for some old-fashioned home-town fun and are in Juneau for the Independence Day celebrations, you’ll have LOTS of activities to pick from.  

A Bit of Local History

Juneau and Douglas were mining towns, and Independence Day was one of the few holidays the miners didn’t have to work. Also, the towns of Juneau and Douglas (directly across Gastineau Channel from another) had separate municipalities until July 1, 1970, when they merged to create the City and Borough of Juneau. To this day, each town maintains a slightly separate identity, to the point that they each have July 4^th celebrations! So, double the fun!

July 3rd: Family-friendly Community Picnic and Evening Fireworks

Juneau and Douglas start the holiday on July 3^rd! Visit the south end of Douglas at Savikko Park and Sandy Beach for a community picnic, sand dollar hunt, and the soap box derby time trials.  This is a great spot to meet locals and soak up the start of the long holiday.

Juneau sets off its community fireworks display at 11:59PM to take advantage of the darkest hours of the evening (it’ll still be dusky). Join the locals and grab a spot along the sea walk, watch the show and listen to the fireworks echo in the mountains behind town. The display lasts approximately 30 minutes. You can also get excellent views from Douglas.

July 4th: Parade, Candy, and Community Spirit

Get another nap, then head downtown on July 4^th to watch Juneau’s parade, featuring floats, bands, firetrucks, dancers, and much more. This is one of the community’s favorite events, and you’ll want to make sure the kids have a bag for all the candy! The parade gets started at 11:00AM at 9^th Street and Egan Drive.

Ready for some family-friendly, fun activities? After the Juneau parade, head across the bridge to catch the Douglas parade, starting at 2:00PM. Keep the kids busy with children’s field events, the soap box derby race, and sandcastle sculpting competition. You can also watch the firemen’s hose race, but be warned – the crew tends to spray the crowd. It does get much more homey than that.

For more information on the 2025 events, visit the Juneau Festival Association and the Douglas 4^th of July Committee