Small City Fireworks

Traditionally my small city has had their 4th of July fireworks display on July 3rd, and this year was no exception.  The reasons they have it on July 3rd instead of the 4th is because they can hire a crew to set off the fireworks more cheaply than on the actual 4th of July, or so the theory goes…

This year’s firework display was awesome too, but not just because of the fireworks display itself (although it was fine), but rather because of the location we decided to watch them from.  This year we went to a small field that was packed with the people from our small city and once again the feeling of a Normal Rockwell scene popped in my mind (read about my Halloween experience that was Norman Rockwell like too).

There were families and a lot of teenage kids in the field.  A baseball game was still in session about a half an hour before the fireworks show began.  Someone was cooking on a grill off to the side, and across the street, the local city ice cream stand was packed to the gill.  There was a steady stream of people bustling to their friends houses that live close to the fireworks show, and a close bar was playing some tunes outside.  The bar owner was cooking stuff on the grill too!

Our kids were running trying to catch lighting bugs (or fireflies), jumping, darting quickly then stopping, pawing at the air as if they were kitten playing with dangling string.  It’s always comic to watch, especially my daughter who is 7 years old, she’s almost to watch.  The as suddenly as their lighting bug quest started, it ended in a sudden game of tag.

After the fireworks display, the kids lit some sparklers and swirled them around laughing and running around.  It was a feel good moment that happens even now and then.

We all had a great time, and now it’s off to bed after a busy day!

Those in the U.S. hope your 4th of July is a great one!

MR