FreedomFest Prepares For Largest Firework Show In Area

Thousands of fireworks will fill the sky on the Fourth of July at FreedomFest in Tulsa. 

Crews spent the day before loading the 6,000 firework shells that will be in the show. 

"We increased the budget a little bit this year, so trying to do some larger fireworks than maybe typical in years past," said Jeff Edwards with River Parks Authority.

The planning for what the show looks like starts long before the holiday.

Randy Howl is in charge of the fireworks and says the planning for FreedomFest starts in January, and they spend this week setting everything up.

"Over the course of this event we have over 150 volunteers and staff that show up to set everything up from our VIP sponsor tent to set up all the decorations," Howl said.

They'll shoot off 6,000 firework shells during the show, some smaller ones and others the size of a basketball. 

"The first half of those, so roughly 3,000 shells, are in the first 20 minutes of the show, the last 3,000 for that grand finale that's all in two minutes; I get goosebumps just thinking about it," Howl said.

Howl says this is the place to be on the Fourth of July, and he's excited for everyone to experience the show.

"Every show is unique and different; they have ups and downs and lulls and different music, so it's really like watching a choreographed dance in the sky," he said.

FreedomFest starts around 6 p.m. Thursday, with the fireworks show starting around 9:30 p.m.

Howl says they are prepared for the chance of rain and may have to move the show according to the forecast, but that will be communicated on their social media pages and on News On 6.