“Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s gone”
– Joni Mitchell, “Big Yellow Taxi”
That’s a song South Sounders could be singing if they’re not willing to provide more support for Freedom Fair, the spectacular Fourth of July celebration on Tacoma’s Ruston Way waterfront.
People seem to be taking the event for granted. Organizers tried to persuade the nearly 100,000 who attended to donate at least something to help pay for the air show, fireworks display and other attractions, but few did – apparently on the theory that the next guy should foot the bill.
The nonprofit Tacoma Events Commission, which has put on the event with the help of a small army of volunteers for more than 30 years, was short $100,000 even before Sunday’s celebration, which has a $1 million budget. And donations were not nearly enough to cover this year’s expenses, says TAC head Doug Miller.
“You just have to wonder, ‘Why are we doing this?’” said an obviously dispirited Miller, who had spent hours helping clean up piles of trash visitors had left behind instead of putting in trash bins.
Unless some deep-pockets donors step forward, that doesn’t bode well for the future of the event.
Will Tacoma be in the same position in 2011 that Seattle was in this year– going to the community for contributions so it could have a fireworks display?
Donors there quickly came up with the $500,000 needed for the fireworks show at Lake Union, thanks to a lot of individuals, businesses and big contributions from the likes of Microsoft, Paul Allen and Starbucks. And it looks like that’s the model for funding next year’s Lake Union fireworks. Which means those donors might not be available to help Tacoma save its Fourth of July celebration.
Tacoma prides itself on having more than fireworks for the Fourth. Freedom Fair includes music, food booths, classic cars, an air show and activities for kids. It’s a community event, and the community needs to step up and make sure it will be there in years to come.
How to donate
Donations to Freedom Fair can be made online at www.freedomfair.com/donate.
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