Fantastic fireworks finale finishes festive Fourth in Cd'A
As the last of the daylight faded from green to the dark blue of night, folks from all over found their places along the shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene.
In the water, a circle of police boats surrounded the barges that would light the fireworks for the Fourth of July.
Couples, families and groups of friends laid on blankets and sleeping bags or sat in lawn chairs to see the sky light up.
Dugan Bailey has been coming to Coeur d’Alene’s fireworks show since 1992. This year, and for the past five years, Bailey brought his son, Collin, 5.
“Last year we were on a boat,” Collin said. “We’re here to see fireworks and they’re really loud!”
City Park was filled with food trucks and other vendors and a band played popular classic rock until the show started. Many kids played in the water, despite the cooling night temperatures.
Laura Janson, who has been in Coeur d’Alene for eight years, brought her great family friend, Vanessa Toombs, who has lived in Coeur d’Alene her whole life, to see the fireworks for the first time.
Toombs has heard a lot about the fireworks show, but never saw it until last night.
“I’ve heard it’s a beautiful sight over the water,” she said. She was right.
About 10 p.m. Monday, the first firework shot into the sky.
The kids cheered, the adults hollered and couples parted faces to watch.
Christi Sigglin was with her two kids and husband on City Beach for the spectacular. Her oldest, Kileigh, 12, said she likes to just watch the fireworks, they are her favorite part of the Fourth of July.
Lucas, Sigglin’s youngest at age 8, said he liked the explosions the best.
The explosions echoed through the area, bouncing off the hills nearby.
At first, the show was only single blasts, but as the night wore on, more and more were fired off together.
Fireworks filled the sky and reflected off the lake as the crowd oohed and ahhed and sang patriotic songs. People seemed to get most excited about the fireworks that went off in rapid fire but stayed closer to the water.
The grand finale was a beautiful spit-fire of classically shaped fireworks of all colors. Revelers on the beach shouted with joy.
As soon as it was over, people raced to their cars to get home or to wherever they were going to finish their celebration of Independence Day - and get ready for work in just a few hours.