Vashon celebrated Independence Day last weekend with a professional fireworks show that sent cascading bursts of color into the sky over Quartermaster Harbor.

The fireworks show, funded by anonymous donors, filled the sky with colorful comets and cascades of lights and concluded with stunning aquatic effects that made it seem as if a wide blanket of light was also floating on the water.

The day’s fun had begun at dawn, when a crowd of approximately 300 islanders showed up at Jensen Point to watch the annual 4th of July Hydro Race — another longtime island tradition.

Conditions were perfect for the tiny hydros. Winner Beau Coy made the trip in 31:03 minutes; last year’s winner Evan Hills was right behind Coy with a time of 32:12 — both beating Tony Bianchi’s 2019 record of 33:25 for the race. Mitch Van Buskirk came in third and Nick Amundsen fourth. Racers Jacob Middling and Eddie Protreller did not finish.

Both Vashon Island Fire & Rescue and island pet rescue organizations reported a relatively easy day on July 4 — the second July Fourth that a consumer fireworks ban in unincorporated King County had been in effect.

Fire Chief Matt Vinci said that his crews had only had to deal with two minor brush fires and that VIFR had not treated anyone for fireworks-related injuries.

Vashon Island Pet Protectors reported its members had only had one call to help locate a lost pet.

While Haven animal rescue volunteers reported more calls involving domestic animals, they said all were fairly quickly resolved.

Haven founder Amy Carey did note, however, that wild animals are also affected by the fireworks, describing how she had helped both a frightened fawn and a red-haired slider turtle in distress on public roads.

King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) received 10 calls about illegal fireworks use between July 4 and 5, said a KCSO spokesperson, and also responded to a call of a disturbance on private property in the 8700 block of Quartermaster Drive that was resolved by deputies. No report on the incident was filed.