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A backyard barbecue and a handful of sparklers may be many people’s idea of Fourth of July, but there are plenty of other ways to enjoy Independence Day in the Fairbanks area today.

Celebrations are planned at Pioneer Park, Ester and North Pole, with a patriotic blend of parades, activities and food for those willing to brave the crowds.

The biggest of them all happens at Pioneer Park, where more than 8,000 people are expected to attend various events throughout the day. “It’s the place to be,” said park manager Jason Avery.

The events begin at 11 a.m., with a performance by the Ninth Army Arctic Warrior Band. A ceremony will follow at noon atop the S.S. Nenana, where a half-hour presentation will include the National Anthem, comments by local politicians and military officials, and a salute to each of the 50 states, complete with ceremonial gunfire.

An afternoon of entertainment will follow, including music by 14 varied musical acts, and children’s activities and games. Starting at 2:30 p.m., a kids’ parade will weave through Pioneer Park, led by a piper and featuring a variety of prizes.

Shuttles will travel between the Carlson Center and Pioneer Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for those who can’t find parking on site. The veterans’ parade, which has been held in downtown Fairbanks in previous years, will not take place this year.

There will also be plenty going on in North Pole, where the annual Summer Festival will begin with a parade at 11 a.m., starting at Fifth Avenue and the Richardson Highway and working a loop through town. After the parade, which lasts less than an hour, activities will move to North Pole Elementary School. A bicycle contest and dozens of booths will highlight the event, along with old-fashioned games like a bed race and greased pole climb.

Ron Pratt, the festival chairman, said organizers work to combine the feel of a small-town event with lots of activities.

“Our whole purpose is to make this really family friendly and be something anybody is comfortable going to,” Pratt said.

For something a little different, Ester is offering its annual eclectic, tongue-in-cheek Fourth of July Parade at noon.

“Ester kind of likes to have its own frame of mind,” said Kate Billington, one of the parade organizers.

The parade includes the expected — kids on bikes, fire trucks and people who toss candy into the crowd — with a twist. There will be irreverent costumes, inoperable vehicles towed on flatbeds, and the Calypso Farms float, which throws raw vegetables. Openly bribing the judges is considered acceptable in the quest for the top prize — the “golden banana,” a spray-painted piece of plastic fruit.

“It’s how life works,” said Hannah Hill, the president of the Ester Community Association. “We don’t do any pretending over here.”

The parade, which starts in downtown Ester and travels down the Old Nenana Highway, concludes with a potluck at Ester Community Park. The fundraiser for the Ester Community Association requires a fee to attend, Hill said, or a smaller fee for those bringing something to eat.

All of the local events have something in common — they won’t be ending with a bang. As usual, the long daylight hours mean there won’t be a big pyrotechnic show.

“We’ll have a lot of fun and excitement,” Avery said, “but no fireworks.”