Redding’s “Freedom Festival” Independence Day Event preview

REDDING, Calif. — Locally, workers have been getting ready for Redding’s “Freedom Festival” on July 4. 

A lot of time, money, and expertise goes into the annual fireworks show.

Sacramento-based Pyro Spectaculars North has been putting on the show for years. Workers have been getting this year’s display ready for the past couple of days.

“Behind me you can see that there are mortars with 8 inch shells sitting on top and 8 inch shells will be dropped into the mortars, wired to the central system, and then they’re going to go up from there on Thursday night.” said Eric Taylor of Pyro Spectaculars North

There’s definitely a science to it, and timing is critical.

“They’re going to be going up in the order that the designer set up and it should be sequenced to the music and choreographed to give booms at the right times in the music and pauses at the other times. (Do you have to allow for timing for the shells to go up and explode?) All of that has been done by the program and the guy that does the design. He knows how long a 4 inch shell takes to get up to its height, he knows how long an 8 inch shell takes to get up to its height. If you want it to go at this time in the music, you put it that much earlier, and it goes up and bang at the right moment.” said Taylor.

Pyro Spectaculars North does shows all over and they say the Freedom Festival ranks near the top in the state.

“They told us we’re one of the top five shows in California, and certainly for the size of our community there’s nobody doing anything close to that.” said Redding Community Services Director Kim Niemer.

Once again the McConnell foundation paying the bill: $80,000 for a 1600 firework show.

The music will be on Q-97 radio this year. The first firework should go off at 10 p.m. Thursday night.

Originally Published: https://krcrtv.com/news/shasta-county/reddings-freedom-festival-independance-day-event-preview