Big crowd at scaled-back Fourth at the fort

It took more than a mile of chain-link fence, more than 100 portable toilets, more than 300 volunteers, 35 vendors selling food and crafts, a sponsorship by Bank of America, four bands and more than 10,000 fireworks to pull off this year’s annual Independence Day at Fort Vancouver.

Toni Wise, marketing and communications manager for the Fort Vancouver National Trust, said that the event typically brings 35,000 people. However, speaking on the afternoon of the event, Wise said that it could bring in 45,000 people this year.

She said there were two reasons for increased attendance. The first is, people might flock to the fireworks display after the city of Vancouver’s ban on personal fireworks went into effect this year. Second, she said, there’s no fee to get into the show this year. That’s because this year’s event didn’t include the children’s parade, games and other activities that were a part of previous years’ festivities.

“This year is scaled back,” Wise said. “It’s about the fireworks.”

She said the event was also scaled back in the interest of being frugal. In past years, the trust, which puts on the show, received part of the revenue from fireworks stands in the city of Vancouver. With Vancouver’s ban going into effect this year, she said, it’s likely the show will see a loss unless contributions from fireworks stands in unincorporated Clark County (where fireworks remain legal) make up the difference.

“The donations boxes were getting full around midday,” Wise said optimistically. She also pointed to signs that advertised a number that people could text donations to. The trust won’t have the final numbers until well after the show is over, she said.

While Wise spoke, people lugging lawn chairs, tarps and coolers trickled in through the entry point for the event. Near the main stage, people clad in red, white and blue checked out local vendors. They ate ice cream, snow cones, gyros and chicken. Others relaxed on the front lawn waiting for the event to start.

Some attendees didn’t notice how scaled back the event was this year, including Brittany Friesan, who came up from Beaverton, Ore., and has been coming for the last three years.

Others did notice. Donnie Schave, a Vancouver resident who goes every year and has children in their teens, said it was “lame” that the event didn’t have the youth-oriented activities this year.

“Look how many kids are here,” he said. “There’s three times as many kids as adults.”

Amanda Anderson, a Vancouver resident who has been coming to the event for years, was set up with a tent and chairs in front of the main stage with her three kids and mother. She said they missed the games and activities that are no longer present at the event.

“We decided to to come anyway,” she said. “We like the live music.”