FOURTH OF JULY: Seattle Parks will turn on lights at some fields again this year

(Reader photo of fireworks debris at a local park in 2020 – one that did NOT have lights on)

Here’s the annual announcement – the list of fields where Seattle Parks will turn on the lights for a few hours on the Fourth of July – and, this year, the preceding night – in hopes of discouraging fireworks use. Below, you’ll see the West Seattle list (for the full citywide list, go here):

Seattle Parks and Recreation will turn on field lighting on ballfields throughout the city on the evening of Monday, July 3 and Tuesday, July 4 to protect the surfaces. The ballfield lights will be turned on at approximately 8:30 p.m. and most will be turned off at either 10 p.m. or 11 p.m., depending on the field.

The lights will be turned on to discourage the use of fireworks. Fireworks are illegal in the city of Seattle and will destroy the artificial turf on the fields or surrounding facilities. The approximate replacement cost for the synthetic surface based on per average full-size field (110,000 square feet) is $1.2 million. All the fields have been renovated in the past several years and benefit field users including players of soccer, football, baseball, Ultimate Frisbee and lacrosse.

The fields will be monitored from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Lights at the following fields will be turned off at 11 p.m.:

Delridge Playfield, 4458 Delridge Way SW
Hiawatha Playfield, 2700 California Ave. SW
Walt Hundley Playfield, 6920 34th Avenue SW
West Seattle Stadium, 4432 35th Ave. SW

(Last year, Parks turned on the lights for three nights.) As for Seattle Public Schools fields, they have not historically had a similar plan, but we’re checking. Also of note: Though the Parks news release doesn’t mention it, Hiawatha is currently undergoing a field renovation, and Delridge is just starting one.