Melaleuca Freedom Celebration; Photographer, Nick Jones
Written by: Tedfuel
It’s that time of year again! The sky is dark, the air is cool, and Americans everywhere are celebrating Independence Day with dazzling fireworks displays. This year, we’re taking a look back at six of the biggest shows in the country from different regions and grading them on their performance. Drumroll please…
East Coast
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Show
The Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Show in New York City was filled to the brim with entertainment. This year’s show featured celebrity performers Brett Eldredge, Carly Pearce, and Pitbull followed by the Young People’s Chorus of New York and The United States Army Field Band & Soldiers’ Chorus, led by Ray Chew as the musical director and producer.
The show launched 48,000 shells, fired from the East River, beginning a beautiful display of colors that lit up the sky, honoring America’s history. This was followed by an impressive array of fireworks that exploded in all directions from five barges, filling the sky with light and excitement.
The grade-A entertainment and colorful spectacle made this our top pick for those on the East Coast.
Midwest
Navy Pier Fireworks
Crowds throughout the Midwest region flocked to participate in this year’s Navy Pier fireworks display in Chicago, IL and were not disappointed. The Navy Pier is already famous for its regular fireworks shows throughout the summer season, but every year they amp up the firepower by 50% for Fourth of July festivities.
Spectators saved seats across the Pier all day, anticipating the evening’s events, scouting out the very best views from which to watch the fireworks.
The river beautifully reflected the colorful array in the sky and dazzled the thousands who came to celebrate. And for an event that had been littered with violence in the past, this year’s event was safe and memorable for all viewers, thanks to local law enforcement and mindful event planners.
Rocky Mountain Region
Melaleuca Freedom Celebration
Just a short drive from Yellowstone National Park, the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration in Idaho Falls, ID is a favorite event for spectators in the Rocky Mountain region. The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration has been noted by national media, such as USA Today, Travel + Leisure, and Readers Digest, along with the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA). It is also a four-year winner of the “Best Annual Event” by 150,000 readers of Post Register newspaper. And when you’re there among the mountain views, antique tractors, and off-roading Jeeps course, it’s easy to see why.
An expansive landscape marked the viewing area for the Fourth of July festivities. This open lawn amphitheater was designed and custom-built for the annual Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, making it the only location in America specifically designed for spectators viewing fireworks. The 40-foot inclined platform and half-moon bend to the grounds provided every viewer with a seemingly front-row seat, accommodating with ease and comfort the 200,000 eventgoers.
With 18,237 brightly colored fireworks, this show is spectacular. And these fireworks are a cut above the rest. For the last two years, The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration proudly announced the majority of their fireworks were made in the USA, providing brighter colors and custom-created designs seen nowhere else.
It’s a 31-minute story of patriotism and spectacle that makes it a fan-favorite year after year for those in and out of the Rocky Mountain region, particularly for those customers who love Melaleuca products and are proud to participate in the festivities.
West Coast
AmericaFest
To celebrate Rose Bowl stadium’s 100th birthday, this year’s AmericaFest focuses on some of the most memorable moments in the venue’s history. The show welcomes back fan-favorite TNT Freestyle Motocross with a thrilling 30-minute performance before Fourth of July festivities take way. Afterwards, Drake Milligan performs a musical set to the delight of the gathered crowd.
While tickets and parking for the venue is expensive, the entertainment and spectacle leave nothing to be desired. This year’s event marks the 96th annual AmericaFest, making it the nation’s longest running Independence Day shows in America’s history.
The crowds were awed by this year’s pyrotechnics as they not only celebrated America’s independence but also the stadium’s centennial.
Southwest
Kaboom Town
Addison, TX lays claim to one of the best fireworks shows in the Southwest and has been featured as a fan-favorite by local and national media.
This year’s show was no exception. 500,000 spectators took over the 16,000-resident city to witness the Independence Day festivities, lit off on July 3rd. Crowds gathered at restaurant and hotel viewing parties to get the best views and experience the thrill of glittering pyrotechnics.
This 25-minute fireworks show was accompanied by a live-broadcast soundtrack from a local radio station with a mixture of pop and patriotic songs. And after a long day of swimming, playing, and eating at the many viewing locations throughout the city, the crowd settled in for a lovely show.
The South
Let Freedom Sing!
For those in the South, the Let Freedom Sing! event in Nashville, TN was the place to be. The event brought in hundreds of thousands of spectators from all over the region to celebrate America’s troops and America’s freedoms.
Leading up to the fireworks show this year, Amazon sponsored the “Family Fun Zone,” which included bounce houses, bungee jumping, face painting, axe throwing, and more, making it fun for the whole family. Families spent the day on the grassy lawn of the fun zone enjoying their day of festivities.
As you might expect, live music by big-name artists was the name of the game for Music City’s annual hoopla. This year’s headliner was Old Dominion with other diverse artists like Gramps Morgan, Cassadee Pope, and Levi Hummon as part of the entertainment lineup.
The breathtaking fireworks display was accompanied by the GRAMMY-winning Nashville Symphony, which concluded the fireworks portion of the celebration. The impressive finale brought cheers from the crowd.
Next Year’s Plans
So wherever you find yourself for Independence Day in 2023, there is always an impressive showing of fireworks, patriotism, and community spirit nearby. Start thinking about next year’s festivities while enjoying the wrap-up of summer 2022.
