After almost a year of fundraising for the July 4th fireworks at Gas Works Park, event organizer One Reel today announced the $500K goal has been reached and Family 4th will go on.

Interesting note: It wasn’t a Northwest company or person who got One Reel to the goal; instead support bubbled up from Coca-Cola Refreshments – Northwest Region, based in Bellevue. Other supporters include Microsoft, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Talking Rain, BECU, Charlie’s Produce, Merrill Gardens, Taco Time and Smith Brothers Farms.

From the press release:

“Fundraising for the 2011 event began in July of last year, and contributions have come from supporters throughout our region, all with inspiring stories and memories of this Northwest family tradition,” says One Reel Executive Director, Jon Stone. “With true appreciation for the partnership and dedication of the Greater Seattle Chamber, we are glad to put this year’s budget to bed, and look forward to putting on one heck of an Independence Day party for Seattle.”

Family 4th at Lake Union starts at noon at Gas Works Park (2101 N. Northlake Way) on Monday, July 4. The fireworks show begins at 10 p.m. See all our 2010 fireworks coverage here.

Last year the Family 4th at Lake Union was saved thanks to donations from Seattlites and local companies from the area. Over $500K was raised and the fireworks show that followed was considered one of the best ever by many.

The success of last year’s fund-raising doesn’t mean this year’s celebration is all set, however. Although 68 percent of the event budget has been secured, another $162,000 needs to be raised by March 1st in order for the 2011 show to go on.

If you’re interested in helping, there’s a couple ways to do it.

You can make a donation directly to Family 4th at http://family4th.org by March 1st (site may load slow due to increased traffic).

You can also show your support and encourage others to join the campaign by downloading one of the Family 4th widgets to your website or blog.

Update: Volunteers picked up a mountain of trash at today’s cleanup.

Earlier: Thousands endured a steady drizzle to downpours and unseasonably cold conditions for a fireworks display Sunday night at Gasworks Park that observers said was worth the wait.

The day after the fireworks means a lot of picking up litter, debris and miscellaneous objects left behind in the chaos for shelter and beating the crowds to get home. Starbucks 5th of July Lake Union Cleanup wants to give you a chance to help re-beautify the lake and surrounding area.

Volunteers for the Gasworks Park are no longer needed but volunteers can still show up/register for work at the Center for Wooden Boats or Rogers Playfield in Eastlake TODAY from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Starbucks will provide coffee (naturally) and lunch.

I’ve always enjoyed the fireworks on July 4th. The lights, the noise, it all seems spectacular to me, and mesmerizing. But for pets and other animals, the celebration has quite the opposite effect, often traumatic. Every year, pets go missing, running sometimes great distances and doing unusual things in a panic to get away from those big booms in the sky.

I even wrote about it once - from my imaginary pet’s POV.

This year, Regional Animal Services has partnered with a nonprofit organization that will set up a temporary tent outside of the Kent animal shelter (21615 - 64th Ave. S.) to assist residents who are looking for lost pets scared off by fireworks. Regional Animal Services is closed to the public on July 4, but on July 5, 6 and 7, volunteers from the Missing Pet Partnership will be stationed outside of the Kent shelter from noon to 6:00 p.m. The shelter will also have extended hours on July 5, from noon to 6:00 p.m. to help owners search for lost pets.

They will also help those who do not find their pet by providing materials for making flyers and writing “lost pet” messages on personal vehicles.

Here are their tips on how to prepare your pet for the holiday:

1. Make sure pets are wearing at least two forms of current identification. This can be a personalized tag and a pet license (make sure your contact information is up to date with your licensing agency), a microchip and a pet license, or a combination thereof. Identified pets have a greater chance of quickly being returned to their owners.
2. Keep your pets indoors in the quietest room of your house while fireworks are audible. Give them lots of reassurance. Play soothing music as a distraction.
3. Have phone numbers handy for the closest animal emergency hospitals and animal shelters. If your pet becomes lost, on July 5th you can call 206-296-PETS (7387) and press 3 for King County Animal Care and Control’s “Lost Pet Hotline” and a list of lost or stray pets currently in the shelter. For pets registered with the Seattle Animal Shelter, contact (206) 386-PETS (7387).

Fireworks pose a fire hazard to property and a safety risk to those who use them. Every year police and fire departments around King County respond to numerous fireworks-related fires and injuries.

All fireworks-related injuries and fires should be reported directly to 9-1-1. Complaints about fireworks use and noise should be directed to the non-emergency numbers.

King County reminds everyone that the use of fireworks is restricted or banned in many cities and areas of King County. Follow local laws and exercise caution while enjoying July 4th celebrations.

Here is a list of fireworks-related non-emergency phone numbers and other non-emergency contacts.

More than 50,000 people are expected in and around Gasworks Park to celebrate the fireworks festivities at the Family 4th at Lake Union on Sunday, from 11 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

The park opens at noon Sunday.

From 12 noon to 6 p.m., Seattle Police will set up a perimeter restricting traffic to “local access only” between Sunnyside Avenue N. on the east, Interlake Avenue N. on the west, N. 39th Street on the north and N. Northlake Way/GasWorks Park on the south. From 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., the restricted traffic access perimeter will be go further to I-5 on the east, Stone Way N. on the west, N. 40th Street on the north and N Northlake Way/ Lake Union/Gas Works Park on the south.

Fireworks begin at 10 p.m.

The fireworks traditionally draws a lot of spectators on the water, as well. Boat traffic is expected to increase at least 30 percent on the Lake Union for the event. Boaters coming into the lake need to pass through the Lake Washington Ship Canal and keep the following times in mind: the Fremont Bridge will not open for marine traffic between 9 p.m. on the 4th until 12:30 a.m. on July 5th; the Ballard and University Bridge will not open for marine traffic from 10 p.m. on the 4th until 1:00 a.m. July 5.

Updated:The show will go on! Just 24 hours after Tom Douglas and Dave Ross announced a pledge drive to raise money to save the Family 4th Fireworks show on Lake Union, the goal of $500,000 has been reached.

Both Microsoft and Starbucks agreed to each pay $125,000 if other businesses and citizens pitched in the remaining $250,000. “We’re pleased to announce, with your help we have reached the goal of raising $500,000 in pledges. According to One Reel, the nonprofit that organizes the show, that is the amount needed to keep the show going,” an announcement posted on MyNorthwest.com states.

Mikhael Williams, spokesperson for One Reel, which has produced the event for more than 20 years, told MyWallingford.com yesterday that Monday was the deadline to meet the goal.

Earlier:As the realization started sinking in that Seattle’s only 4th of July fireworks show has been canceled, some local celebrities and businesses are donating money to save the annual tradition. On the Dave Ross show this morning, restaurateur Tom Douglas started the campaign to save the fireworks show by announcing he will donate $5,000. Dave Ross followed suit by donating some of his own money. The list of donations keeps growing, with the ultimate goal of raising $500,000 by Monday, April 5th.

To make a pledge of a minimum of $1,000, corporate or individual, go to MyNorthwest.com/fireworks or e-mail savethe4th@mynorthwest.com. If the funds needed to save the 2010 fireworks show can be raised in the allotted time, then the pledges will be collected upon and sent to One Reel.

One Reel marketing and communications director Mikhael Williams talked with our sister site My Wallingford this morning about Ross’s plan. “We would be so excited and thrilled if we could pull this off this year, but has to happen very quickly,” Williams says, “From our perspective, the window was closed on a title sponsorship because of the traditional expectations and benefits that they receive. If there are people in the community who want to rally around the event, who don’t have the traditional expectations of sponsorship, we would happily put this on.”

(Full disclosure: Next Door Media, which powers FremontUniverse.com, has donated to save the fireworks show.)