Independence Day and fireworks: you can't have one without the other.
John Adams, in a July 1776 letter to his wife, famously wrote that the day should be commemorated every year - and he included "illuminations" in his list of ways in which he thought the occasion ought to be celebrated.
Amen to that.
As far as big July 4th municipal pyrotechnic displays are concerned, most everyone probably thinks of New York and Boston. New York's show is billed as the largest in the country, and Boston's is, well, iconic: the Esplanade, the Hatch Shell, the Boston Pops, the 1812 Overture with real cannons - and that's all before the first shell is fired. (Sorry, New York, but Boston wins. Hands down.)
As long as we're talking "really big shows," though, I wonder if you had Idaho Falls on your list.
Surprise! This is where you'll find the biggest Independence Day pyrotechnic display west of the Mississippi.
Sponsored by Idaho Falls-based Melaleuca Corporation, this year's show will clock in at 31 minutes and feature more than 18,500 shells, all choreographed to music. At an average of 597 shells per minute, it'll get your attention.
This event always draws a huge crowd. The city of Idaho Falls (population 70,000) typically welcomes roughly 200,000 spectators for the fireworks.
Tom Bates of Western Display Fireworks designs the show, a process which begins two years in advance. During that time he sources and places orders for shells from all over the world. Heather Gobet, a fourth-generation pyrotechnician, will be in charge of firing the display from an elevated launch pad spanning hundreds of feet (wider than two football fields) along the Snake River.
The American Pyrotechnics Foundation consistently dubs this a "must-see" Independence Day fireworks event.
Traffic jams afterward are perhaps not as great an experience, but that's the way it goes with something this popular.
The show starts at 10pm.
If you're thinking about photographing a fireworks display near you and would like some tips to help you make great images, check out this post from last December. The beauty of July 4th shows versus those that take place on New Year's Eve is that you'll have more time to work. Because the cold isn't an issue, most Independence Day displays last longer.
Have fun!
About the Photograph
This image was not made in Idaho Falls, which you probably already figured out. It's from an Independence Day show (actually the night before) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I captured the display from across the Piscataqua River in Kittery, Maine. You can see the spire of the landmark North Church at the bottom right.
In Local News
The Teton Pass re-opened last Friday. As I mentioned last week, there are no restrictions (other than the usual summer weight limit of 60,000 pounds) so 18-wheelers, recreational vehicles, and anything being towed are all cleared to use the detour. There haven't been any reports of issues so it seems everyone is successfully navigating the steeper incline and sharper curve. I'll be heading from the Balloon Rally in Driggs over to Jackson via the pass later today; that'll be my first time using the new road.
Meanwhile, you may have heard about the white bison calf which was born in Yellowstone. The animal is not an albino: it has black eyes and hooves. This is a natural genetic trait, albeit very rare. It's the first report ever of a white calf being born in YNP - something that occurs in the wild at a rate of one in one million (or more) births. The park service says this event signifies the health of the herd.
At a ceremony held recently, Native Americans named the animal Wakan Gli, which in Lakota means Return Sacred.
There have been no sightings of the calf since the day it was initially spotted early in June.