The Fourth of July fireworks show at Fort Vancouver will be free this year.
The Fort Vancouver National Trust, which presents the annual July 4 display, announced Friday that there will be no admission charge for the event.
In another format change, the event — which has been a daylong affair in previous years — will be all about the fireworks, said Mike True, president and CEO of the National Trust.
The program will start at 6 p.m. with live music, leading up to the 10 p.m. pyrotechnic display.
The event is officially known as Independence Day at Fort Vancouver presented by Bank of America.
Trust officials made the decisions after reviewing feedback from attendees.
“The fireworks show is the element most valued by the community. We’re focusing on that — giving our audience what they most want,” True said.
Trust officials also looked at times when visitors came through the gates. Even though the gates opened at noon, “80 percent arrived after 6 p.m.,” said Natalie Hantho, the National Trust’s program manager.
“That’s six hours of entertainment, and not many people. The same with kids’ activities from noon to 8 p.m.: eight hours and poorly attended,” Hantho said.
Last year, general admission tickets were $5 in advance and $7 at the gate. The show drew a crowd of 35,000 to the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.
It cost more than $300,000 to produce the recent July 4 events, and the National Trust fell about $7,000 short of breaking even in 2016.
The fireworks show was free for most of its tenure, going back to 1963. The July 4 show went on hiatus in 2009 because of financial problems. The nonprofit National Trust took it over in 2010, introducing admission fees.
The free fireworks show doesn’t mean the National Trust was able to attract any additional corporate sponsorships this year.
“The Trust still is in the position of funding this event,” True said. “This event still requires some philanthropic support. We hope people will give donations” as they come through the gates.
Funding for the fireworks show won’t come at the expense of the National Trust’s other “Celebrate Freedom” events, True said: “It’s not our desire to reduce any other activities.”
Trust officials don’t know whether the ticket-free policy will continue.
“We will see how the community supports it,” True said. “The goal is to continue to produce this celebration longterm, in a sustainable manner.”
Although it’s no longer a daylong event, “vehicle access will be restricted beginning at 8 a.m. and entry gates will be in place,” Hantho said. “Bags will be checked all day. But we encourage people to come after 6 p.m.”
