What to do in Mat-Su this weekend (July 3 to 5): Fourth of July fun and fanfare

What you need to know:

• Free, family-friendly Independence Day events are happening across the Mat-Su this weekend, from Talkeetna to Sutton. The Glacier View Car Launch headlines the weekend. The nationally known event returns Saturday in Glacier View, with vehicles launched off a 300-foot bluff, food vendors and large crowds expected. Organizers recommend arriving early.
• Independence Day parades are planned in Wasilla, Big Lake, Willow, Talkeetna and Sutton, while Palmer will host its Friday Fling and several events celebrating the nation's founding.
• Visitors can catch stock car, drag and sprint car racing at Alaska Raceway Park and Capitol Speedway or cool off at Houston's annual Waterworks Show, featuring water games, fire truck demonstrations and family activities.
• Want your event included in an upcoming edition of "What to do this weekend in Mat-Su?" Email contact@matsusentinel.com

After signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776, John Adams predicted future generations of Americans would celebrate the event with “pomp and parade, with shews, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.”

Two hundred fifty years later, Adams would probably have loved the Glacier View Car Launch.

With its massive crowds and YouTube notoriety, the now nationally infamous tradition of driving vehicles off a 300-foot bluff outside Sutton (celebrity skater Bam Margera says he’s coming this year) is probably the most visible Fourth of July event on a crowded Mat-Su weekend entertainment schedule, but it’s far from the only “shew” in town. There are parades aplenty and more than enough “bells, bonfires and illuminations” to keep even the most patriotic partiers entertained. 

From star-spangled to surreal, here’s our guide to what to do this Independence Day weekend in the Mat-Su.

Glacier View spectacle a go for liftoff

Whether you think it’s a played-out spectacle or a summertime staple, the raucous Glacier View Car Launch returns to Glacier View Retreat (35068 W. Glenn Highway) in Glacier View on Saturday afternoon. In addition to the cars, trucks and other vehicles repeatedly launched off a cliff, there will also be food trucks (not launched) and other vendors on-site.

Expect big crowds. Gates open at 8 a.m. The event has become wildly popular in recent years, and visitors are encouraged to arrive very early. Organizers recommend getting in place as early as 10 a.m. for the 2 p.m. show. Tickets are required and range from $13.61 to $32.61. Children 5 and younger are admitted free. Tickets are available at glacierviewcarlaunch.com.

Pick a parade

Independence Day parades will be held Saturday in Wasilla, Big Lake, Talkeetna, Willow and Sutton. Here’s a rundown:

Wasilla: The parade starts at 11 a.m. and winds through downtown from a staging area at Wasilla High School. Portions of several streets along the parade route, including Yenlo, Boundary, Knik, Willow, Crusey, Main and Lucille, will be closed during the parade, which will last about two hours. A free community picnic at Iditapark (580 Nelson Ave.) follows the parade, followed by the finale of the city's Music in the Park series. Expect crowds, food, music and lots of fun. A near-record number of participants is expected. 

Big Lake: The waters of Big Lake will host a Fourth of July boat parade Saturday at 11 a.m. Boat lineup begins at 10:30 a.m. in front of Berkshire Marina. Participants are asked to keep speeds low and boats three to four abreast. Bring a boat or watch from shore. The event is free and open to the public.

Willow: Willow’s annual Fourth of July parade starts at noon at the Willow Baptist Church parking lot and culminates with a community picnic at the Willow Community Center at 1 p.m.

Talkeetna: The Chamber of Commerce hosts a small parade that starts at noon and runs “down Main Street and back again,” according to the town’s visitors guide. Expect quirky floats, mellow vibes and a relaxed community celebration afterward.

Sutton: Not every vehicle in Sutton is getting thrown off a bluff. Some of the spiffier ones will participate in the town’s Independence Day parade, which begins at 1 p.m. at the Sutton General Store and continues with a community potluck at Eagle until 5 p.m. Feel free to bring a dish to share or enjoy a free burger or hot dog provided by event organizers.

Fling into the Fourth

Palmer will get its Independence Day weekend started a day early with its Friday Fling downtown. The Palmer Chamber’s weekly event is a mini-festival featuring dozens of food trucks, live entertainment and vendors at the Palmer Pavilion. It’s free and open to the public. For more information, visit the chamber’s event page on Facebook. 

Celebrating 250 years of freedom

Patriotism will be squarely in the spotlight Saturday in Palmer, where a pair of events celebrating America’s 250th birthday will focus on the history of the holiday.

At 3 p.m., St. John Lutheran Church (440 E. Elmwood) will host a historic recitation and rededication of the Declaration of Independence, a miniature Revolutionary War game, historic flags, face painting and the firing of a genuine 300-pound cast-iron cannon. Free hot dogs will also be available. The event is free and open to all.

Also Saturday, the Palmer Elks Lodge (2600 N. Barry’s Resort Drive) on Finger Lake will host a free America’s 250th party starting at noon. The public event will feature free hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs and all the fixings. The lodge’s bar will be open, as will the dock on the lake.

Start your engines ...

The fastest parades this weekend will take place in Butte and Willow, where a pair of local racetracks are planning a roaring weekend featuring near-nonstop racing.

At Alaska Raceway Park (5599 S. Race Way) in Butte, Independence Day festivities kick off Friday with stock car racing on the park’s oval track. Gates open at 2 p.m., with racing beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday features high-horsepower drag racing with some of Alaska’s fastest cars. Gates open at 10 a.m., time trials begin at 11 a.m. and eliminations start at 2 p.m. Racing wraps up Sunday with more drag racing beginning at 11 a.m. Weekend passes are $39.99. For more information, visit raceak.com.

Capitol Speedway (Mile 75.5) in Willow will host two days of sprint car racing beginning Saturday at 6 p.m. and continuing Sunday at 2 p.m. Gates open two hours before racing begins at the dirt track. Tickets are $15 for adults ages 14 and older, $5 for children ages 6-13 and free for children younger than 6. Pit passes are available for $20. Visit capitolspeedway.org.

Here come the waterworks

Fireworks and summertime are a volatile — and daylight-diminished — combination in Alaska. So instead of pyrotechnics, Houston is rolling out the fire hoses for its seventh annual Waterworks Show on Saturday from 1-3 p.m. at Fire Station 9-1 (Mile 57 Parks Highway). The free family event will feature a “squirt gun scuffle” (with squirt guns provided), fire truck demonstrations, a giant water slide and snacks for kids.

-- Matt Tunseth is a freelance writer from Southcentral Alaska. Email him at matthew.tunseth@gmail.com.