Screaming spiders, crackling horsetails, or golden weeping willows—what is your favorite style of firework? Bend fireworks fans get their fill of the pyrotechnics at the annual Fourth of July show on Pilot Butte. This year, when many community events are cancelled for the sake of social distancing, the fireworks show promises to bring the community together, even as we sit apart. And according to Matt Thomas, a driving force behind the fireworks display, this year’s effort is taking the show to a whole new level. A Bend Tradition Most years, Independence Day in Bend overflows with celebration. The fun starts early, with a Pet Parade of costumed dogs and their families in full red, white and blue regalia. The parade leads to Drake Park for games and treats at the Old-Fashioned Fourth of July festival. By mid-afternoon, revelers on bikes take over downtown for the Freedom Ride, where costumes are less family-friendly but just as colorful. But for many Bendites, the best part of the day doesn’t start until the sky fades to black, and they settle into a favorite vantage point with a view of Pilot Butte for the annual fireworks show. Prior to 2019, the fireworks display was sponsored by the Bend Bulletin. When the newspaper backed away from the sponsorship, a new community partner stepped up. Matt Thomas, owner of Subaru of Bend, brought together a coalition of car dealerships to keep the fireworks tradition alive. The Bend New Car Dealership Association plans to provide ongoing support for the show. “We believe in giving back,” says Thomas. “Our association gave thirty thousand dollars last year, and again this year, to make the show happen,” he says. Additional contributions from the community have raised the 2020 budget to fifty thousand dollars. “We’ll almost double the fireworks – bigger and better – this will be a year to remember,” he adds. The Blast on the Butte Fireworks have been part of Bend’s Independence Day since 1987. In the early years, mortars and rockets were set off near the river at Mirror Pond. The city soon moved the production to the top of Pilot Butte State Park, where the elevation allows for 360-degree viewing and empty fields save neighboring properties from falling sparks and debris. According to Joe Wanamaker, park manager, Pilot Butte is the only Oregon State Park to host a community fireworks show. “It’s really unique. Few towns can view fireworks this way—from a central high point—but also, few towns have a volcano right in the middle of town!” he says. The butte is an old cinder cone that once was active with its own explosions, but has been dormant for 190,000 years. The circular drive and hiking trails to the summit offer a panoramic view of the city of Bend and the Cascade peaks, but access to the park is closed during the fireworks set-up and show, for safety reasons. Local company Sure Shot Fireworks has taken on the planning, design, and production of this year’s display. Owner Gary Mattison has worked in pyrotechnics for more than a decade. “I can guarantee a lot of oohs and ahhs at this year’s show,” he laughs. Mattison’s preferred style is to send the fireworks in waves, varying up the colors and patterns, but allowing no moments of black sky. “I like to create a false ending, when people think the show is over, before I light up the real finale,” he adds. A Community Gift Producing the show requires help from many. Along with the fire and police departments, the Department of Forestry and Oregon State Parks plan security and logistics. Additional local businesses provide on-site water trucks, and even the Boys Scouts pitch in by cleaning up debris on the butte after the show. The biggest fan of Bend’s fireworks show may be Fire Marshal Larry Medina, of the Bend Fire Department. “Surprisingly, it’s the quietest part of the day for the fire and police departments. We have such a great show here that fewer people want to light off illegal fireworks,” he says. In past years, illegal fireworks and careless use of legal fireworks have caused numerous injuries and property damage. “Fireworks are something to leave to the pros,” Medina emphasizes. But Medina, like the rest of the group, mostly sees the fireworks show as a gift to the community. “Fireworks are a shared experience that we all enjoy, no matter any differences we might have,” he says. Especially in a time when so much is uncertain, this long-standing tradition still brings people together to celebrate our history.
Fourth of July Activities:
Family Face Painting
Watermelon-Eating contest
Sparklers
Neighborhood Walk-the-Block “Party” (minding social distance)
Family Bicycle Parade, with decorated wheels
What to Bring:
+ portable chairs + warm blanket + hot chocolate + flashlight or headlamp for the walk home (or to the car afterwards)