Maybe the flawless blue skies put folks in a good mood.

Or they saw a good value in a daylong festival, air show and fireworks display.

Or the holiday awakened their spirit of civic pride.

But many of the thousands who turned out for Tacoma’s Freedom Fair had no problem throwing in a few bucks to help out the annual Fourth of July extravaganza.

Festival organizers asked for voluntary donations for the first time in three decades to help make up for rising costs and a recession-driven decline in corporate sponsorships. The goal was to raise $75,000 by passing the bucket at festival entrances.

As of Saturday evening, volunteers were closing in on the goal but were still about $20,000 short, said Doug Miller, CEO of the Tacoma Events Commission, which puts on Freedom Fair.

Still, he said he’s hopeful that as residents and businesses hear about the relative success of this year’s festival, they’ll decide to donate after the fact.

More importantly, this year’s event showed many people do care and are willing to contribute.

“We feel we have laid the groundwork for a formula to make sure this event can grow,” Miller said. “We are confident that we can take this momentum and carry it into next year.”

Freedom Fair volunteer Tami Camacho worked one of the entry stations at McCarver Street, where turnstiles were set up to count attendance. Donations also were being accepted there, and most people initially hesitated. Camacho and the other volunteers explained that the event was free but that donations were welcomed. Suggested donations were $1 per child, $5 per adult and $10 per family.

“Most people are donating,” Camacho said. “The teenagers are usually the most surprised, but they pull out a dollar and we say, ‘come on in!’ ”

Jason Forslin, 26, came in with a $10 family donation that covered his girlfriend, Alyssa Roncevich, their son Jordan and Roncevich’s mother, Vicki Lemarr.

“If you can afford to pay it, pay it,” Forslin said. “It’s worth it to come back next year.”

The turnstiles combined with the presence of volunteers asking for money put off one fairgoer.

“Is this the forced donation station?” he asked as he approached the turnstile.

“Not forced,” replied a volunteer. “It’s truly a donation.”

The man walked through without parting with his money.

Just inside the entrance, a large crowd gathered around street performer Alex Kowalcyk, who was juggling atop a unicycle.

Sanjay Agrawal of Tacoma brought his son, Raghav, 8, and his nephew Armaan Nallicheri, 10, to the waterfront around noon. Raghav was “volunteered” by Kowalcyk to help with the show involving bowling pins and a machete.

Kowalcyk put Raghav on a box nearby and had the boy toss the pins so Kowalcyk could juggle them. At the end of the show, Raghav gingerly handed Kowalcyk the machete for the climatic juggling event. Raghav took a large bow as the crowd applauded.

Past the Silver Cloud Inn, vendors pitched their wares under the tree canopy. The shade combined with the breeze off the water made this stretch of Ruston Way feel air conditioned, and people slowed to a mosey to cool down. Soothing tones from Tibetan singing bowls, sold by Lhekshy Gyatso of Portland, added to the ambiance.

There was something for everyone: kettle corn, elephant ears, corn dogs, sno-cones, handmade hats, jewelry, hats, shoes and business opportunities.

Farther down Ruston Way, spiritual and physical adjustments were available within 20 square feet. At the Godmobile, they asked two questions that revealed whether you’re going to heaven. Across the sidewalk, a chiropractic clinic offered free spinal screenings and massages.

The booth causing the most chatter Saturday was next to Harbor Lights, and its only offering was a hug. And they were free.

Dean Curry, the lead pastor of Life Center, said the church helped sponsor the air show and because of that, the church got a booth.

“We didn’t want to hand out literature, so we thought we’d hand out hugs,” Curry said. “Not everybody takes, but nobody takes offense.”

The hugged got a sticker that said, “I got hugged.” The unhugged? They were OK with that.

One young couple approached, and the man almost hugged a church member because it seemed he didn’t know what else to do to get down the gauntlet. His wife stepped in:

“He gets free hugs right here, thank you.”

Elsewhere in South Sound, communities celebrated the holiday in their own styles. A pancake breakfast in DuPont, festivals in Fort Lewis and Auburn, parades from Eatonville to Enumclaw and a new tradition – called Cityblast – was set to debut in Puyallup.

Steilacoom’s annual Fourth of July festival filled two blocks of Lafayette Street. Hundreds of people strolled in the warm morning air, greeting friends and soaking up the sun.

At the corner of Pacific and Lafayette streets, in the shadow of the Oberlin Congregational Church, a dollar would buy a series of five swordfights. For the Farquhar family of Gig Harbor, it was a fun way to pass the time while waiting for the Anderson Island ferry.

The Farquhars strode onto the battlefield, armed with foam swords and shields from The Game Matrix, a Lakewood business that hosts medieval sword parties. Parents Erin and Scott squared off against sons Oliver, 7, and Isaac, 5. After the second match, Erin had lost her shield but was the only warrior left standing.

“As you can see, the adults like it as much as the kids,” said Diane Ewick, who owns The Game Matrix with her husband, Chris.

Meanwhile, back on Ruston Way, five teenagers relaxed near Harbor Lights under a tent with a perfect view of the water – ready for the evening’s fireworks. Kendahl Doscher, 13, and Destin Bruser, 14, both volunteered to hand out maps as their mothers worked on other duties. But they can thank their moms for the prime spot: They pitched the tent at 4 a.m. Saturday.

The teenagers talked about many things, including the difficulty of talking on their cell phones while military aircraft screamed overhead, but they agreed on one thing: The fireworks made it all worth it.

Kathleen Cooper: 253-596-8546

kathleen.cooper@thenewstribune.com

Staff writer Brent Champaco contributed to this report.