(Seguin) — Plans are in place for tonight’s Fireworks Fiesta — a tradition that now falls on the eve of the Fourth of July holiday. The fireworks show is scheduled for 9:30 tonight at Max Starcke Park.
Jack Jones, the director of the Seguin Parks and Recreation Department, says the city has again managed to hire the best when it comes to delivering another fantastic fireworks show to Seguin.
“The fireworks show itself is around 20 minutes or so give or take. If you liked the fireworks show two years ago, we are bringing that same show back from two years ago. The show has been fired by a company called Pyro Shows of Texas and we are excited to have them back this year. We are expecting a really good fireworks show. We changed it up three or four years ago to be on the third so we could have a better fireworks show — more bang for the buck per say and also to have a good shooter. The person that is shooting this show in Seguin on the third does Willie Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic on the fourth. It’s a really big show in Austin so we have a really good guy who shoots the show here in Seguin on July third and it’s been a win win because it allows Seguin residents to bring in family and friends from out of town to watch Seguin’s fireworks show on July 3rd. Then on July 4th, it allows the residents to go see the other fireworks shows in San Antonio or New Braunfels or San Marcos,” said Jones.
Jones says over the last couple of years, city residents have come to realize another benefit of hosting the show the day before the Fourth of July.
“Another benefit is with the show being on the third and it being on a Wednesday, most people have the fourth but then a lot of people — unless you take a vacation day — have to go back to work on Friday, the fifth so there’s lots of advantages of having the show on July the third. I know the first year or two, it took some people a little bit of time to get used to it. Being the only show in this area on July 3rd is really a huge benefit not only to the residents but the family and friends who want to come here to watch Seguin’s hometown fireworks show,” said Jones.
Jones says celebrating with fireworks the night before also allows the city to welcome even more out-of-town visitors making the crowd even larger.
“This is my seventh fireworks show here. I estimate that every year, it gets bigger and bigger and I estimate that at last year’s show (there were) around 10,000. I anticipate this show being around 12,000 or so if you count the number of cars and people just coming out of their houses and walking over to the park. That’s a bunch of people,” said Jones.
The best views to watch the fireworks show have always been at Max Starke Park and at the Seguin Events Complex. Jones says the city will again offer up a couple of park facilities so that families can have premiere spots to take in the aerial show.
“Just so folks know, River Road will be closed in Starcke Park West for the fireworks show but what is available for folks to actually view will be Smokey Joe Williams Field. So, if you wanted to get out of your car and park and go into the bleachers or even onto the ball field of Smokey Joe Williams Field, you can do that. Also, the Seguin Softball Four-Plex, that will be open as well to be in the outfield. Bring a chair, bring blankets — both ballparks, the restrooms will be open so those are two really good viewing spots for folks to get out of their cars and get into a grassy area and watch the fireworks show,” said Jones.
Seguin’s Fireworks Fiesta is again being presented by Sponsors HEB and Niagara Bottling Inc. Again, the fireworks show gets underway sharply at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 3rd in Starcke Park.
The city will continue with its Fourth of July schedule at 9 a.m. Thursday with the annual Flag Raising Ceremony in Central Park followed by the Biggest Small-Town 4th of July Parade in Texas at 10 a.m. The celebration kicked off on Saturday with KWED’s Freedom Fiesta and on Sunday with the annual patriotic concert in Central Park.