Alaska is celebrating America’s 250th in the fast lane… off a cliff

Alaska celebrates the Fourth of July with a unique tradition by launching cars off a 300-foot cliff.

For a moment, everything goes quiet as hundreds of eyes fixate on a patriotic, painted car perched at the edge of a 300-foot cliff. An American flag waves in the crisp Alaskan air as spectators wait in anticipation to witness one of the nation’s most unusual Fourth of July spectacles.

Within seconds, cheers echo across the mountain valley as a vehicle soars through the sky before plummeting down below. All in the name of celebrating freedom.

In Glacier View, Alaska, about two hours north of Anchorage, celebrating America’s Independence Day makes fireworks a thing of the past. Since 2005, visitors have gathered from across the country to witness The Glacier View Fourth of July Car Launch.

Volvo and a moose

The tradition began after founder Arnie Hrncir’s wife hit a moose with her Volvo in 2003. After years of not knowing what to do with the damaged vehicle, they decided, why not just throw it off a cliff?

There it all started, a Fourth of July event that has evolved from a small community coming together to witness the Volvos plummet into one of Alaska’s most distinctive Independence Day traditions.

Hrncir said the event is a great way to celebrate freedom, especially with “that beautiful red, white and blue flag waving up there in the majestic skies of Alaska.” One could assume the best part of the event is watching the vehicles soar, but it’s really the race up the cliff to collect car scraps to take home as a souvenir.

Attendees walk away each year with car stereos, rear-view mirrors, and side doors to cherish the unforgettable day.

Hrncir expects this year’s crowd to surpass previous years with a U.S. Coast Guard flyover, brisket, and many ready to commemorate America’s 250^th anniversary.

Fireworks may be the traditional way to celebrate America’s birthday, but in Alaska, 250 years call for something with a little more horsepower and significantly fewer surviving vehicles.