Fireworks are banned in the city of Newcastle, but, as always, there is one place where residents can legally watch the pyrotechnic displays mostly associated with Independence Day.

The city’s annual Fourth of July celebration returns to Lake Boren Park this Saturday.

As the region experiences particularly dry conditions, now more than ever, city officials are pleading with citizens to heed the firework ban.

“Our fire and police departments recommend that people take advantage of the elaborate public firework displays around the region,” said Wendy Kirchner, Newcastle community activities liaison. “Please consider treating your family to a fun Fourth of July this year at Lake Boren Park.”

Residents can start filing into the park at 6 p.m. July 4, when vendors will begin selling food.

Neil Diamond tribute band Cherry Cherry will entertain the crowd from 8-10 p.m. Led by vocalist Steve Kelly, Cherry Cherry honors Diamond’s “timeless” music, according to the band’s website.

The fireworks show starts shortly after it gets dark, or at about 10 p.m.

AvalonBay, the developer of a new community at the north entrance to Newcastle, is the event’s title sponsor. The Golf Club at Newcastle and Waste Management also contributed to the event.

The city reminds residents to report illegal fireworks displays immediately by calling 911.

Newcastle News wants to see your photos from the Newcastle Fourth of July celebration. Email photos or video of your patriotic fun to newcastle@isspress.com, tweet them to @NewcastleNewsWA or post them on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NewcastleNewsWA.

The city’s annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration is set for Friday at Lake Boren Park.

Residents can start filing into the park at 6 p.m. July 4. Vendors will serve hot dogs, kettle corn and more. Soul Siren, a band whose appearance is sponsored by The Golf Club at Newcastle, will take the park stage from 8-10 p.m.

The fireworks show starts shortly after it gets dark, or at about 10 p.m.

The city’s annual Independence Day celebration is able to continue this year, thanks to title sponsor AvalonBay Communities Inc.

Newcastle News wants to see your photos from the Newcastle Fourth of July celebration. Email photos or video of your patriotic fun to newcastle@isspress.com, tweet them to @NewcastleNewsWA or post them on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NewcastleNewsWA.

Residents can start filing into the park at 6 p.m. July 4. Vendors will serve hot dogs, kettle corn and more. Soul Siren, a band whose appearance is sponsored by The Golf Club at Newcastle, will take the park stage from 8-10 p.m.

The fireworks show starts shortly after it gets dark, or at about 10 p.m.

The city’s annual Independence Day celebration is able to continue this year, thanks to title sponsor AvalonBay Communities Inc.

Newcastle News wants to see your photos from the Newcastle Fourth of July celebration. Email photos or video of your patriotic fun to newcastle@isspress.com, tweet them to @NewcastleNewsWA or post them on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NewcastleNewsWA.

Attendees at last year’s Independence Day celebration at Lake Boren Park will remember that technical difficulties shortened what was supposed to be a 12-minute fireworks display.

The Olympia-based company Entertainment Fireworks Inc. took full responsibility for the problems, City Manager Rob Wyman said last year. Newcastle will contract with the company again for its 2014 fireworks show, with assurances the issues won’t occur again.

“I have spoken with the owner multiple times on the phone and he has assured me 200 percent that we will not have the problem again,” said Wendy Kirchner, Newcastle’s community activities liaison. “They’ve got a very, very experienced pyrotechnician that’s going to be working with us.”

Residents can start filing into Lake Boren Park at 6 p.m. July 4. Vendors will serve hot dogs, kettle corn and more. Soul Siren, a band whose appearance is sponsored by The Golf Club at Newcastle, will take the park stage from 8-10 p.m.

The fireworks show starts shortly after it gets dark, or at about 10 p.m.

The city’s annual Independence Day celebration at Lake Boren Park is able to continue this year, thanks to title sponsor AvalonBay Communities Inc.

Fourth of July isn’t the only summer event on tap. The city’s all-volunteer Community Activities Commission is already well into planning for the Concerts in the Park series and Newcastle Days.

The city has scheduled four free summer concerts at Lake Boren Park this summer. The Fabulous Roof Shakers will perform July 23; Ian McFeron Band takes the stage July 30; Cherry Cherry plays Aug. 6; and Crumac will close out the series Aug. 13.

Cherry Cherry, a Neil Diamond tribute band, is particularly notable because the group is sponsoring its own performance, free of charge to the city. Its lead singer, Steve Kelly, is a Hazen High School graduate.

All concerts are from 7-8:30 p.m. Vendors are available onsite for attendees to enjoy.

The city will celebrate its 20th year of incorporation at Newcastle Days on Sept. 6. Planning is still underway, but one thing is for certain, the car show will return after getting scrapped in 2013.

Community Activities Commissioner Linda Newing is also spearheading an effort to add an in-park parade to this year’s festivities. She said she envisions inviting school drill teams, bands, Boy Scouts and members of the Newcastle Historical Society to officially open the festival with a loop around Lake Boren Park.

“It’s the city’s 20th anniversary, so we’re looking at adding some fun, special activities to commemorate that,” Kirchner said.

Newcastle resident Alan White’s group, White, will again be the headline band. White is also the drummer for the band Yes.

Singer Gil Réne will bring the city’s 20 years full-circle when he performs at Newcastle Days. Réne was there in 1994, playing at a special city ceremony in honor of Newcastle’s incorporation.

Popular pony rides, petting zoos and inflatable toys will also return. The Coal Creek Family YMCA will bring its special KidZone activities, including inflatable slides and an obstacle course. Clowns Unlimited, the company that provided a pay-for-play area last year, will have some sort of presence, though it’s unclear what exactly it will bring, Kirchner said.

Last year, the company brought a climbing wall, swing chairs and more. Kirchner and commissioners are hoping that with sponsorship money, kids won’t need to pay to use the equipment this year.

“We don’t want to do pay-for-play,” Kirchner said. “We don’t want to have people paying for things.”

For adults, the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce’s beer and wine garden is also expected to return.

The Community Activities Commission has worked with Kirchner to plan the city’s summer events. Kirchner joined the city staff just three months ago as the community activities liaison.

She will assist in the planning of city events and provide outreach to city volunteer organizations.

“I’m enjoying working on different aspects,” she said. “One day it’s events, the next day it’s parks and the next day it’s something else. You kind of have your hand in a lot of things, which is fun.”

Newcastle residents Newing, Jim Price, Russ Segner, Diane Lewis, Angela Ursino, Victoria Hupf and Zaquis Ross are members of the Community Activities Commission, an all-volunteer advisory board to the Newcastle City Council.

Email Kirchner at wendyk@ci.newcastle.wa.us for more information about summer events and ways to get involved.

Revelers gathered for an evening of fun, music and fireworks at the city of Newcastle’s Fourth of July celebration Thursday, but many left with disappointment at what appeared to be a lackluster firework show.

Just five minutes after the fireworks began in what was expected to be a 12-minute display, the fireworks contractor experienced technical difficulties, according to an email from the city.

“The city of Newcastle sincerely apologizes for the brevity of the fireworks display at the Fourth at the Lake Celebration,” city clerk Sara McMillon wrote in an email.

All of the fireworks were charged, but most did not ignite, the email explained. Because they were charged, they presented a threat to safety and had to be let off as soon as possible.

The remaining fireworks finally ignited at about 11:30 p.m.

“The city is looking into all of the details of what caused the incident,” McMillon wrote. “We greatly apologize for the disappointment this caused.”

The city’s annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration is set for Thursday at Lake Boren Park.

Attendees can begin gathering at the park as early as 6 p.m., when food vendors will be available. The band Big Dog Revue will take the stage from 8-10 p.m. The fireworks show will begin when it gets dark, or just after 10 p.m.

Patriotic glow necklaces and paper flags will be given out as souvenirs.

The Lake Boren Park show is the only authorized place to see fireworks in Newcastle. Residents are not allowed to light fireworks within city limits.

This year’s event is sponsored by Lake Boren Townhomes.

WANTED

Newcastle News wants to see your photos from the Newcastle Fourth of July celebration at Lake Boren Park. Email your contact information and, if possible, photos or video of your patriotic fun to newcastle@isspress.com, or contact the newspaper on Twitter at www.twitter.com/newcastlenewswa or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/newcastlenewswa. We may feature your photos in an upcoming issue or on one of our social media platforms!

On Twitter, tag your photos with #NewcastleFourth and we will retweet the best ones.