Casper fortunate compared to some cities
TOM MORTON Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Friday, July 3, 2009 12:00 am
The annual Fourth of July fireworks in Casper won't sparkle as much this year.
But it won't fizzle out like other cities that have cancelled their shows.
"People have cut back," said John Dagit, head of the crew setting up the show north of the Casper Events Center.
"One of the first things to cut is entertainment," Dagit said Friday.
He's glad, and tens of thousands of local Independence Day celebrants are too, that the city of Casper did not take the drastic fireworks cancellation actions of Colorado Springs, Colo, Mesa, Ariz.; San Jose, Calif., and other towns reeling from the recession.
Even so, close observers of the show at 10 p.m. today will notice this one will be about two minutes shorter than in previous years, said Bud Dovala, building manager of the Casper Events Center.
"The cost of pyrotechnics went up quite a bit," Dovala said.
The city will spend about $18,000 as in the past on fireworks, but it won't get the same literal bang for the buck.
Casper's efforts to put on the show are joined by local foundations, GapWest Broadcasting, and the thousands of people Dovala hopes will pay to come to the Events Center beginning at 4 p.m. for the live bands, vendors, children's activities, crafts, and for the Cavalry football game beginning at 6:05 p.m.
"We're counting on the visitors," he said.
Those visitors will see up close the results of Dagit and his Cheyenne-based crew that works for the Enid, Okla.-based Western Enterprises.
Friday, they set the two rows of plywood frames to hold the plastic pipes for the approximately 1,000 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, and 8-inch shells. The system resembles smoothbore black powder firearms, with the shells shooting straight up about 800 feet before they explode to dazzle viewers, Dagit said.
The spaces around the pipes are filled with sand, and the crew sets the wires that are attached to the electrical rails, which have cables connected to a master control board 150 feet away, Dagit said. "Everything is fired electronically."
Today, his crew will lower the shells into the tubes with their self-contained black powder charges set on the wires.
Then the crew waits until 10 p.m., when GapWest Broadcasting begins the patriotic music supplying ignition cues for Dagit's crew.
"I love it," he said. "I respect (the fireworks) and I know what they can do."
Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0592, or at tom.morton@trib.com. Read his blog at tribtown.trib.com/TomMorton/blog.
Admission is cash only: $10 per car, $5 per motorcycle, and $5 per bicycle and pedestrians. Admission is free for those in vehicles with Wyoming Cavalry tickets, but all occupants must have a game ticket.
Cavalry tickets may be purchased at the box office until 3 p.m.
Live music begins with the Seeds n' Stems band at 4:30 p.m.; the Eli Manor Band at 5:45 p.m.; John Hampson at 7 p.m.; and Tabor-Dame at 8:30 p.m.
At 5 p.m., doors open for the Wyoming Cavalry game with the Ogden Raptors. Kickoff time is 6:05 p.m.
The fireworks are scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Music accompanying the show will be simulcast on all GapWest radio stations: KKTL-AM, 1400; KMGW-FM, 96.7; KRVK-FM, 107.9; KTRS-FM, 104.7; KTWO-AM, 1030; and KWYY-FM, 95.5.
Pursuant to city regulations, no glass containers and no alcohol will be permitted to be carried onto the premises.�Coolers, food and beverages are permitted.
The beer garden will have a serving area available. Customers must be 21 or older and show a valid photo ID to enter the serving area.
For more information, call 577-3030 or 800-442-2256, or log on to www.CasperEventsCenter.com.
The only fireworks permitted are those for the public show. It is illegal to discharge fireworks in Natrona County.
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