The 2020 City-sponsored Fire in the Sky fireworks display will begin at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 4th (unless inclement weather conditions prevent the show). In case of such weather conditions, the show will be held July 5th.
J&M Displays of Iowa will supply the fireworks and pyrotechnician Dave Akers returns for his 30th consecutive display in Laramie. The display will again be launched from the area near 22nd Street and Armory Road.
This year’s display will consist of approximately 283 aerial shells ranging in diameter from 3 to 8 inches. In accordance with the 2018 International Fire Code and the 2018 edition of the National Fire Protection Association Standard for Fireworks Display the required 600-foot radius safety zone will be installed around the launch site. This safety zone is also required by insurance regulations. Spectators are prohibited from occupying this safety zone due to falling shell debris. The 600-foot drop zone radius applies under “no wind” conditions since even a light breeze can push shell debris out to greater distances. The accompanying map indicates the 600-foot radius drop/safety zone. People within the drop zone perimeter will be asked to leave by law enforcement personnel and could be subject to criminal citation for refusing to cooperate.
Portions of N 22nd Street, Armory Road, and Television Road will be closed prior to the display because of their proximity to the drop zone. Twenty-Second Street will be closed between Willett Drive and Harney Street. Armory Road will be closed west from Television Road to 22nd Street. Television Road will be closed from the intersection at Armory Road north to Harney Street. Harney Street will be closed from Television Road to 22nd Street to avoid issues with shell debris fallout from the fireworks display.
Spectator parking will not be permitted along Harney Street between the intersections of Television Road and N 19th Street. During previous displays, winds have carried shell debris to the intersection of 22nd Street and Harney and into portions of Harney Street, north of the launch site.
Fire in the Sky Coordinator and City Fire Marshal Mark Doyle requests that the public avoid the following areas for spectator viewing because of their immediate proximity to the drop zone: all portions of the LSA Soccer Field off Television Road, the UW Recreation Field adjacent to Armory Road, areas north of Harney Street between N 19th Street and Television Road, and the parking lot THE GEM CITY OF THE PLAINS BUILDING COMMUNITY COL/CMO/EA—Rev. 1/30/2018 north of the UW Centennial Complex/American Heritage Center. Although these areas are outside of the drop zone, their proximity makes it impossible to protect spectators and vehicles from shell debris if the wind shifts during the display. Once people are parked these areas, it becomes difficult to remove them.
Spectators are encouraged to make the fireworks display a family event and the City recommends viewing the show from nearby City parks (Washington, LaPrele, Harbon, Scout, and Kiowa Parks) and other locations, such as Fraternity/Sorority Park on the UW campus. Please be sure to adhere to social distancing guidelines that are in place at the time of the event. This display will only consist of aerial shells—there are no ground effect fireworks like those associated with the concert in previous years. Therefore, spectators will not gain a viewing advantage by being closer to the launch site. Other optimal viewing locations include large parking lots located around town and the Cirrus Sky Trail behind Indian Paint Brush School. Reminder, parking along this ridgeline (i.e., Cirrus Sky Trail) is prohibited.
The City would like to remind pet owners that the Fourth of July can be a stressful time of year for pets with all the added noise from the fireworks display. Bringing your pets indoors can help reduce their stress and prevent accidents and/or runaways. We would also like to remind residents that fireworks are not allowed to be set off within city limits. The Annual Fire in the Sky event is a specially-permitted event that is performed by experienced pyrotechnicians and supervised by Laramie Fire Prevention staff.
This information will also be posted on the City of Laramie website (www.cityoflaramie.org ) and the City of Laramie Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/City-of-Laramie/115909074342).