Fireworks ignite holidays

COEUR d'ALENE — The Hagadone Corp. is marking its 35th Holiday Lighting Ceremony tonight on the front lawn of The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

The treasured community celebration will follow the 30th annual Lighting Ceremony Parade in downtown Coeur d'Alene, and will include the best fireworks show yet.

"We made it better than ever this year," said Craig Brosenne, president of the Hagadone Marine Group.

The late Duane Hagadone, who founded the company, was very fond of fireworks and loved funding the show as a gift to the community, Brosenne said.

Son Brad Hagadone has carried on that tradition.

"Brad gave us permission to do it up," Brosenne said. "And it's going to be a lot more shells, a lot more effect. It's a really a neat program for the community and it's all part of the Hagadone family."

This year's show will be shot from a barge near The Floating Boardwalk fronting The Coeur d'Alene Resort. It will include more than 600 shells ranging from 3 to 10 inches, which is about 100 more than last year.

It will have nearly 3,800 shots from the boardwalk, about 1,400 more than 2021, and will feature nearly 500 items in the finale, an increase of 100 from last year.

"We think this will be a great show and hope everyone enjoys it," Brosenne said.

The parade, with nearly 40 entries, will begin at 5 p.m. on Sherman Avenue.

The Holiday Lighting Ceremony will start at 6 at The Coeur d’Alene Resort lawn, followed by the fireworks at 6:15.

This year’s Guest of Honor will be Carl Fus, general manager of Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises, which is part of the Hagadone Corp. Fus will have the honor of leading the countdown to Christmas.

The Resort has added two new activities to this year’s festivities.

The outside Terrace Lounge will be open at The Resort. It will have a wood-burning pit, s’mores, and views of the Holiday Light Show.

Santa’s Reindeer Express will be on The Resort’s Boardwalk Bar and will feature two live reindeer.