Nome celebrates Fourth of July

By Sarah Manriquez

With blue skies overhead and balmy temperatures of 77°F on the thermometer, Nome residents lined Front Street on Friday to celebrate the Fourth of July with an all-day celebration of patriotism, family and friendly competition.

The heat brought extra brightness and energy to the festivities. While it didn’t break any historical records, it marked one of the warmest Independence Days in recent memory, drawing residents out in shorts, sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats.

Nome’s Fourth of July festivities have been a cherished tradition for over a century. Early records show that as far back as the early 1900s, Nome celebrated Independence Day with parades, foot races, and public gatherings—often organized by local civic groups and supported by miners, merchants, and families from across the Seward Peninsula. Today, many of those same elements remain, creating a sense of continuity that connects generations of Nomeites through shared celebration.

After the obligatory Anvil Mountain Run, a grueling race from town up Anvil Mountain and back, the 2025 celebration kicked off with a lively community parade led by a formal presentation of the flags. Fire engines blared their horns as they rolled down Front Street, followed by festive floats, local organizations, and flag-waving children. Red, white, and blue balloons bobbed in the breeze while kids scrambled to collect candy tossed from passing vehicles. Mackenzie Cabrera, joined by her daughter Bianca Raleigh-Cabrera, smiled and waved to familiar faces from a slow-rolling float, setting the tone for the joyful day to come.

After the parade, the crowd gathered in front of City Hall for opening remarks from City Manager Lee Smith speaking on behalf of Mayor John Handeland, who was ill. Smith opened with a call for prayer and reflected on the meaning of the day.

“We celebrate freedom… the promise of America,” Smith said, adding a note of gratitude for military service members and veterans. “It’s about our freedom… about who we are as a people, from all over the world, different languages, different backgrounds. We’re the United States of America.”
 “It’s not about the barbecues, the hot dogs, the parade. It’s about our freedom. And we do this for our children, and their children’s children,” Smith said. 

His remarks culminated in a warm rally to “have fun, laugh, play, and be safe,” before officially opening the street games with a burst of applause.

Young members of Nome’s Farthest North Girl Scout Council recited the Pledge of Allegiance in both Iñupiaq and English, followed by performances of the national anthem and the Alaska Flag Song by interim Port Director Joy Baker, and a dance performance by the Nome St. Lawrence Island drummers and dancers. The sequence of voices, music, and movement highlighted the region’s cultural richness and set a powerful tone for the day’s festivities.

The Rotary Club did not present a Citizen of the Year award.

The crowds’ attention quickly turned to the more than two dozen games, ranging from gunny sack races to pie-eating contests, with categories for toddlers to elders.

In one of the newest additions to the day’s lineup, a horde of Nomeites charged down Front Street in inflatable chicken costumes, squeaking rubber birds beneath their feet during the Chicken Race. The event, introduced just last year, has already become a crowd favorite. Perry Saito claimed first place.

Between events, families cooled off in the shade, shared snacks, and cheered on neighbors and friends. Marine Corps reservist Floyd Ticket III watched the action from the sidelines, gently rocking his 8-month-old daughter, Moira Nassuk, in his arms.

The ever-messy pie-eating contest was delivered again, with Vanessa Tahbone emerging victorious, raising her hand high after finishing covered in whipped cream and pie filling.

All races awarded the first three places with dollar coins, but despite the friendly competition, the afternoon was a celebration of what makes Nome special: its tight-knit community, its resilience, and its ability to find joy in both solemn reflection and spirited play, especially under the rare warmth of a high-summer sun. 
The games ended on a sweet note at the Fire Station, where the Nome Volunteer Fire Department invited to their annual ice cream social, dishing out refreshing ice cream as a welcome reprieve from the heat.
 

See more photos in the photo gallery.