No letdown this year: July 4th ‘wet down’ will return to this Charlotte-area community
Huntersville’s biggest and wettest Fourth of July tradition is returning for its 17th year, but it took some convincing from community members to make it happen.
In a tradition that started in 2002, the Huntersville Fire Department douses Independence Day revelers during the community’s July 4 event. The “wet down” is a tradition that brings so many people to Birkdale that it often becomes hard to park, department spokesman Bill Suthard told the Observer on Monday.
“You had to park across the street on the other side of Highway 73 just to get in,” he said.
The pandemic forced the cancellation of last year’s festivities.
The tradition almost didn’t happen again this year because Birkdale Village’s management company wanted to end it. The fire department began speaking with The Wilbert Group on May 7 to bring the celebration back, but to no avail, Suthard said.
“They were like ‘we don’t think it’s a good thing the way we’re going with the village, and we just don’t think it fits,’” he said. “I just think it was a bad management decision.”
The fire department posted on its Facebook page Monday evening that the tradition was over.
“This year Birkdale management asked us to discontinue the wet down portion of the event, which saddened our members and we’re sure a few of you as well,” the Facebook post said. “As we know — all good things eventually come to an end. We’re really gonna miss this tradition -- we loved it as much as everyone else.”
The announcement led to residents to contact Wilbert and ask the company to continue the tradition. The company also contacted the fire department soon after the post, Suthard said.
“We are always grateful to receive feedback from the community and now recognize how much this tradition means to them,” the company wrote in email to the Observer on Tuesday morning. “We have listened to their concerns and are working with the Huntersville Fire Department to bring wet down back to The Village this year.”
Hours later, the management company reversed its decision.
“After the overwhelming response from the community, we are pleased to announce that the annual wet down tradition with the Huntersville Fire Department will return to Birkdale Village this Sunday for the 17th consecutive year,” the management company wrote in an afternoon email to Observer.
The fire department then posted on Facebook again.
“What was a letdown…is NOW a wet down!” the Facebook post said.
“YOU (our community) has spoken! In a few hours yesterday YOU were able to do something that we’ve been trying since May 7th to do,” the post said. “Yes, that’s right -grab those swimsuits, the annual July 4 wet down (Year 17) is back on! And THIS time, we’re going to use Tower 1 to flow the water.”
The management company said it also plans to introduce “a variety of new and exciting events to the Huntersville community,” including magicians, stilt walkers and live music.
“We are grateful to the community for their feedback on the importance of this event and appreciate the Huntersville Fire Department for once again being a part of the Fourth of July celebrations at The Village,” Wilbert wrote in its email.
The “wet down” will begin around 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Townley Road and Birkdale Village Parkway.
