Boaters spread out and celebrate the Fourth of July at McKay Reservoir outside of Pendleton on Saturday, July 4, 2020. Oregon health officials are warning of the potential for an uptick in cases following the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend.

PENDLETON — The Fourth of July went off without the usual bang of several city firework shows and other local festivities, but that didn’t stop residents from getting outside and spending the holiday with their families.

Less than 10 miles south of Pendleton, groups of friends and families dotted the brim of the McKay Creek Reservoir, while dozens of boats and jet skis skimmed along the water throughout the warm afternoon.

While few, if any, were wearing masks, each party etched out a spot along the bank of the reservoir that allowed them to keep their distance from others.

“We figured there were going to be people out here but we can all social distance,” said David Johnson, who was celebrating the holiday with four generations of family out on a boat he built and restored with his own hands last year.

Johnson said he and his family were out at the reservoir since early that morning and got to enjoy the “dead calm” of the water before it filled up with boats by the afternoon. While the family would usually get together for at least a barbecue on the Fourth, this year’s holiday marked the first time Johnson was able to take some time off work in Salem since April to return to see his family.

“You’ve got to have the fireworks, barbecue and family,” said his daughter, Ashley Jones.

Despite the surge of COVID-19 cases, Jones and Felicha Van Claster said they’ve managed to be conscious of the risks, while safely getting outside to enjoy the summer a bit with their 6- and 9-year-old sons. Last week, they said they took them out to the reservoir and taught them how to swim in preparation for the Fourth, and earlier in the week they also went camping as a family.

“We still have to live our lives and have fun. We can’t lock ourselves inside all the time,” Jones said.

Rob Sewell spent some of his holiday afternoon seated in a chair watching the water lap back and forth on the reservoir’s banks as his wife and two sons zoomed around on a jet ski.

“We’re just getting out and trying to learn how to relive life again if they’ll let us,” he said.

Though spending the Fourth of July socially distancing out there wasn’t much different from what they’d do if it wasn’t for the virus, Sewell said it still didn’t feel quite right.

“It’s all pretty weird now,” he said.

Bobby Woods spent the day sitting on the McKay Dam fishing with his family. A truck driver, who was sidelined from work for two months due to the economic costs of the virus, Woods said the holiday was one of the first days he got to spend with his family since recently returning to the road.

The family socially distanced themselves from others scattered along the dam, though Woods said he felt the reports of hundreds of new cases of the virus in the area were overblown.

“I get trying to control the spread,” he said. “But I know a lot of people here, and I don’t know anybody who’s been sick or anybody who even knows anybody who’s been sick.”

Within Pendleton, a group of nearly a dozen people donning masks spread themselves out at the four corners of the intersection of Southwest Court Avenue and 20th Street and chanted in support of Black Lives Matter along with decrying police brutality and racism.

“These people need support,” said Paul Daniello, who has been a part of the group protesting in Pendleton each Saturday over the last month. “The cause doesn’t stop just because it’s a holiday.”

Some vehicles drove by with honks of support and fists raised in the air as others drove by with middle fingers raised and at least one person yelled “Trump 2020” at protesters while driving by.

Marisa Jobes, a 19-year-old student at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, said she didn’t feel there was anything worth celebrating given the current state of the nation.

“There’s no celebration if all people can’t celebrate comfortably,” she said, her voice still hoarse from leading chants for nearly two hours. “There’s a lot of hate in this town — you can see it going by. But we want to let the people that do care know that we care too and we want them to feel safe too.”

COVID-19 canceled many of the usual Independence Day festivities, but there were still some remnants on July 4.

Just before dusk people started flocking to the parking lot at Umatilla Electric Cooperative and Butte Park in Hermiston to watch the city’s annual fireworks display explode from atop Hermiston Butte.

As people waited to find their spots, Sean Perkins and his fiancee, Farrah Logan, busted out the audio equipment filling the air with music. Perkins and Logan, who own Desert Sounds Entertainment in Hermiston, wanted to try to bring back a bit of the usual party that was canceled due to COVID-19.

Playing songs, such as Don McLean’s “American Pie” and Brooks & Dunn’s “Only in America,” Perkins and Logan sat at their vehicle as other small groupings of families filled in the parking spaces near them.

“We’re trying to play some patriotic stuff just to lighten the mood and keep everyone in the spirit,” said Perkins.

Pat Hughes and his family took to a far corner of the parking lot to light off fireworks and spend some time together.

“We’re all trying to do our part, but you still gotta get out,” said Hughes. “You’ve got to celebrate our independence and just forget about everything that’s going on right now and have a good time.”

Across the street in Butte Park people gathered on the lawn and spread out to watch the fireworks display from lawn chairs and picnic blankets spread out across the grass as fireworks kicked off shortly after 10 p.m.

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East Oregonian reporter Ben Lonergan contributed to this report.