Squirt-gun fight draw for delayed Fourth event

The city’s attempt to break the Guinness world record for the largest water-gun fight – a distinction currently held by Bangkok, Thailand – is on for Saturday.

“I think the squirt-gun war is the draw now, and the fireworks an activity,” Cindy Dunn, event organizer for Action Alliance Network, said of the city’s Great American Barbecue.

The city’s Fourth of July celebration is now Saturday after rain and sodden conditions on Wednesday forced a postponement.

The event starts at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Pacana Park, and will include all previously planned events and fireworks.

“It’s the exact same event,” Dunn said. 

When inclement weather struck leaving lots of standing water at Pacana Park and the fireworks launch site, canceling the Independence Day event never was an option, Dunn said.

She and her husband Will said they were hopeful early in the day.

“We watched the weather and we were supposed to have rain at 7 in the morning, and at 10 in the morning, and then it was supposed to clear up,” Will Dunn said. 

But as the weather worsened, the Dunns and city officials realized a tough decision had to be made. 

“We decided this would be miserable and not fair to the city, which invested so much, nor the people who would attend,” Will Dunn said. 

After meeting with Mayor Christian Price, City Manager Brenda Fischer and Brenda Campbell, the city’s special-events coordinator, the group decided around noon to postpone the event.

“Both (Campbell and Price) said this is not what our citizens deserve and asked, ‘What can we do?’” Will Dunn said.

City spokeswoman LaTricia Woods said the postponement came after it was evident park sidewalks were under water, standing water could create electrical issues for entertainers and food vendors and fields were too soggy for people to be safe and comfortable.

The Dunns then got to work calling the vendors who were scheduled to appear and Fireworks Productions of Arizona to see what day would be best for rescheduling. 

Everyone agreed on Saturday, which might be to the city’s advantage. 

“I think we’re going to have even more people,” Will Dunn said.

Cindy Dunn added that she fielded more than 100 calls Wednesday, many from people coming from Phoenix wanting to know about the squirt-gun fight.

The biggest hitch resulting from rescheduling was getting the outside shuttle-service vendor. The Dunns said the Maricopa Unified School District stepped up offering shuttle service at a reduced cost.

***ADVERTISEMENT***And even that could turn out to be an advantage for attendees as the air-conditioned busses can hold more passengers per trip. Shuttles will run continually 5 to 11 p.m. from the following locations: 

Ace Hardware (ADA Access)
25142 N. John Wayne Parkway

Santa Rosa Elementary School
21400 N. Santa Rosa Drive

Butterfield Elementary School
43800 W. Honeycutt Road

Maricopa Wells Middle School
45725 W. Honeycutt Ave.

Legacy Traditional School
17760 N. Regent Drive (at Bowlin Road)

Santa Cruz Elementary School
19845 N. Costa del Sol Boulevard

According to the National Weather Service, there is a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms Saturday night, and the high is expected to be 108 degrees.

For a run down on specific entertainment, vendors and activities, click here.