With explosions which illuminated the sky and sent sound waves bouncing for miles, Pottsville celebrated the nation's independence with a dazzling light show Friday night.
Ronald Moyer and his wife, Nancy, of Pine Grove, had their fingers in their ears as they sat in folding chairs in the back of their pickup truck parked a block away from the launch pad at the 16th Street Field.
As rockets zipped skyward and bloomed into fiery fountains of green, red and yellow, Ronald said, "It's wonderful."
They were among the hundreds of people who flocked to numerous vantage points to watch the highlight of the Pottsville City Independence Celebration, the half-hour fireworks display which began at 9:30 p.m.
"Doesn't hurt my ears this year," said John Kroh, 10, of Auburn. He was among the more than 200 people gathered in the area of Martz Hall, two blocks from where Sky Shooter Displays by ZY Pyrotechnics LLC were setting off the rockets.
"That's because you're a year older and getting bigger," said his mother, Laura.
While some people, like the Moyers and the Krohs, come to the event annually and find their favorite spot to watch the sky lights, Pottsville Pride and the City of Pottsville annually host a program at Veterans Stadium at Pottsville Area High School, right across the street from Martz Hall.
The program, including the fireworks, is financed by Pottsville Pride, a volunteer group assembled with help from the office of Mayor John D.W. Reiley. It will cost Pottsville Pride "about $10,000" this year, according to figures provided by City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar.
Palamar wasn't sure how much in donations had been collected so far, said major contributors included D.G. Yuengling & Son Inc., Schoeneman Beauty Supply and Barefield Development. And he said, "We're still collecting donations."
The costs included: Fireworks from Sky Shooter Displays, Wapwallopen, Luzerne County, $8,500; two sky divers from Maytown Sport Parachute Club, Maytown, Lancaster County, $600; the Pottsville Third Brigade Band, $750; and lights at Veterans Stadium, $50.
Palamar and other representatives of Pottsville Pride were at the entrance to the field collecting donations.
The show at Veterans Stadium, which began at 7:30 p.m. Friday, included greetings from the mayor; an invocation by Pottsville Police Chief Joseph H. Murton V; the Pottsville Joint Veterans Color Guard; and an appearance by 45th annual Greater Pottsville Winter Carnival Royalty: Queen of the Snows Brittany Kuperavage, Snowflake Princess Holly Parrish and Snowdrop Princesses Julia Joan Botto and Payton Kleckner.
Shortly after the band started to play, there were just over 100 people in the stands.
Among them were Cathy Zimmerman and Ken Singley, both of Pottsville. When the band played "The Star-Spangled Banner," they put their right hands over their hearts and sang along.
"My daughter Kate is in the Third Brigade Band. She plays French horn," Zimmerman said.
"There were years when there were a lot more people here. That's for sure," Singley said, referring to the turnout at the stadium for the program.
At 7:45 p.m., Master of Ceremonies Leo F. Haley also expressed his disappointment with the turnout.
Friday's oppressive heat might have had something to do with it, Singley said.
The high temperature in Pottsville Friday was about 97 at 3 p.m. and it went down to 84 degrees by 7:30 p.m., according to David Martin, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, State College.
"At the stadium, we usually get a crowd of between 350 and 500. It is a hot day and on days like that some people just don't come out. But tonight there will be a lot of parties in Pottsville and the parking lot at Martz Hall is going to be packed," Palamar said.
The weather Friday night was good for a parachute jump, according to the two sky divers who drew rounds of applause from the people in the stands.
Ken Oatman, Lancaster, and Danny Michewicz, Reading, jumped out of a plane at between 4,500 and 5,000 feet.
The Winter Carnival royalty watched them from the sidelines, in awe by the daring of the sky divers. Kuperavage and Parrish said they weren't sure if they'd have the nerve to do such a stunt.
But Kleckner said, "I'd be having so much fun."
Afterward, Kleckner and Botto gave Mayor Reiley a smile when they asked him if they could skydive at next year's event.