Photo by Erin Nelson.
Fireworks light up the night sky over Vulcan Park during the annual Thunder on the Mountain fireworks display in July 2021.
There are plenty of opportunities for you to celebrate Independence Day this month.
Here is a list of events in the area to make note of as the Fourth of July approaches.
BIRMINGHAM
The “Thunder on the Mountain” fireworks show will be put on by the Vulcan Park & Museum at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4.
It’s a 20-minute fireworks show handled by Pyro Shows of Alabama and shot from the base of the Vulcan statue, allowing for easy viewing from both sides of Red Mountain.
The official soundtrack for the show will be simulcast on all iHeart Media Birmingham radio stations, including Magic 96.5, News Radio 105.5 WERC, 103.7 The Q, 102.5 The Bull and La Jefa 98.3.
Pyro Shows of Alabama starts designing the show about six months in advance, and it usually takes three days for about 10 people to set the show up at Vulcan Park & Museum, said Marvin Jones, the company’s show director.
It takes about 15 people six or seven hours to clean up afterward, he said. “We’re there til 3 or 4 in the morning,” Jones said.
The show will feature some of the traditional favorites such as happy faces and hearts, but Pyro Shows of Alabama always tries to do something different each year and works to meet special requests of the sponsors, Jones said.
This year’s sponsors of Thunder on the Mountain include the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, city of Homewood and city of Birmingham.
Just prior to the Thunder on the Mountain show, the UAB Summer Band plans to put on a free concert outside Bartow Arena on the south side of the arena from 7 to 8:30 p.m. People are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets to watch both the concert and the fireworks show.
HOOVER
The city of Hoover has a 15-minute fireworks show scheduled for after sunset (roughly 9 p.m.) on Sunday, July 2, at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
The fireworks will be shot by Pyro Shows of Alabama from the lower Hoover Met parking lot by the soccer fields, said Marvin Jones, the show director for the company.
People are encouraged to find a spot in the Hoover Met parking lot to view the show, which is costing the city of Hoover $25,000, said Kelly Peoples, the city’s events manager. Music will be broadcast on 87.9 FM, she said.
HOMEWOOD
The city of Homewood and Homewood Parks and Recreation Board are having an Independence Day celebration on Tuesday, July 4, in downtown Homewood at 5 p.m.
Two blocks of 18th Street South and one block of 29th Avenue South will be blocked for pedestrian traffic, rides and inflatables designed to appeal to all ages of children. A disc jockey will provide music and interactive activities for attendees.
There is no admission charge to enter the area, but the rides and other attractions require a wristband that can be purchased for $10. The wristbands will be sold in a tent near the intersection of 18th Street South and 29th Avenue South. All money raised from the event goes to the Homewood High School band.
All activities will end when the Thunder on the Mountain fireworks display begins at Vulcan Park at 9 p.m.
PELHAM
The city of Pelham is putting on its Fire on the Water fireworks show in partnership with Oak Mountain State Park at 9 p.m. on Monday, July 3.
Pyro Shows of Alabama will put on a 15-minute show that includes fireworks that shoot across the water and light up the water like carpet, said Jones. “It’s a pretty neat feature. You just don’t have too many places you can shoot it,” he said.
Annual passes are valid on July 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For those who are not pass holders, regular entrance fees apply until 5 p.m. From 5 p.m. until 7 p.m., Pelham residents only will receive a special rate of $10 per vehicle. You must be able to show proof of residency. Everyone else receives a special rate of $15 per vehicle. Both gates take cash and card payments.
Both gates will close to the public at 7 p.m. for safety reasons. Campground guests and cabin guests will be let in and out of the park through the back gate after 7 p.m.
– Community editors Leah Ingram Eagle and Neal Embry contributed to this report.
