While helping volunteers clean up the remnants of Friday's July Fourth celebration, 4th Fest Executive Director Bernie Keisling said the show could not have gone any better.
"It went off without a hitch," Keisling said.
It could have been different. After a Feb. 14 fire destroyed 20 fireworks warehouses in China, it looked as if the fireworks would not arrive in time for the holiday. And then once the fireworks arrived June 27 -- 4th Fest organizers had only a week to assemble and set up the fireworks -- the possibilities of thunderstorms and dark clouds hung over the Independence Day festivities, threatening to ruin the show.
Luckily for Keisling, the storms never came. But thousands of people did.
What may be a record crowed turned out for Friday's show -- which fireworksguide.com has ranked as one of the best July Fourth shows in the nation. The average turnout for 4th Fest is between 50,000 and 70,000 people, but after looking at vendor receipts and VIP ticket sales, Keisling estimates more than 70,000 people attended Friday night's show.
The show began at exactly 9:15 p.m., and onlookers were asked to stand as the Star Spangled Banner was played over the radio station 93.7 The Bus.
"And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air," brought a shower of red, white and blue fireworks. Throughout the rest of the show, intricate fireworks choreography combined with a variety of patriotic, instrumental and Americana-inspired music.
Ground effects added another dimension to the show. As Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" played from the stereo system, bright red flames shot from the ground, causing the crowd to gasp.
Joe Hagan (junior-materials science and engineering) attended 4th Fest for the first time. He said he was impressed with the show and the musical accompaniment.
"It's really neat that they do it over the radio, so you can listen to it from anywhere," he said. "It was easily the best show I have ever seen."
Georgia Perry (sophomore-biology) hadn't heard about the fireworks until her roommate looked up the event online. After hearing more about the show, she became enthusiastic about going.
"My roommate told me State College has the best fireworks," she said.
Ray Tarantella, of Lock Haven, summed up the show in one word: "awesome." Tarantella, who was in the VIP section, said the $25 per VIP ticket price was worth it.
"You can feel the heat off the fireworks," he said.
Before the fireworks began, there were a variety of activities available, including musical performances and hot air balloon rides.
The Penn State Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics also handed out special glasses for people to use while watching the fireworks. The glasses spread the light from the fireworks into a rainbow, said Chris Palma, associate director of outreach for the Eberly College of Science.
Tarantella said the glasses were "OK."
"They make a rainbow, it's nice," he said.
Though bad weather avoided State College, rain still managed to have one negative effect on the event.
Because of rain in Johnstown, the helicopters scheduled to be a part of a military vehicle display could not come. Still, the display contained a number of vehicles, including a Humvee and an armored combat vehicle, and garnered attention from a number of passersby.
George C. Koval, of Philipsburg, said he supports the troops and thought the vehicle display was a good idea.
"It's a way to show our freedom," he said.
While 4th Fest organizers worked quickly to put the event together this year, their work wasn't done Friday. A day after the show, Keisling and dozens of volunteers gave up their Saturday to clean the fields and lots outside of the Bryce Jordan Center and Beaver Stadium,
And with this year behind them, 4th Fest organizers will have a board meeting in about three weeks to start planning next year's celebration.
"Every year people tell us that they love it," Keisling said. "It's the best show they've ever seen."
