Sequoyah State Park To Charge $5 Per Car For Fireworks Display

For the first time, a local state park is charging spectators a fee to see its annual fireworks show this year.

Sequoyah State Park on Fort Gibson Lake says so many visitors come during the Fourth of July weekend, it needs extra money to maintain the area.

"It's not been that way before but it's not going to be a big deal," spectator Kyle Moore said.

If you're headed out to Hulbert, you're going to be charged $5 a car to get in to see the fireworks show tonight.

This is the first year the park has asked for an event fee.

"Five dollars isn't much for fireworks ...some people will object to it I'm sure I don't think it's too bad," camper Gordon Null said.

The park supervisor says the money will help keep the park operating with the influx of visitors coming to the park over the weekend.

With all the visitors coming into the park, officials have to spend more on the upkeep of their facilities, which involves even small things like toilet paper.

The supervisors says cars with six people or less will get charged the $5 fee, but larger groups could be charged a slightly higher fee to get in.

"So far it's been good," park manager Tony Presley said. "We've had one or two complaints, which we expected. Some not used to paying to get into a state park at all. A lot of them appreciate them that we're doing something."

Fireworks will go off at dusk between 9 and 9:15 p.m.

Between 500 and 1000 people are expected to watch the fireworks from Sequoyah State Park this year.