Yesterday the 12 year old boy who lives across the street excitedly told me he had 70 dollars saved up for fireworks. "That's really, um...............great." I replied weakly.
The thing is, he's not talking about sparklers, or little birthday poppers. He's talking the big stuff, that sometimes you can't even find on Native American reservations. Butte has no restrictions, and some years it sounds like Tet in Viet Nam, circa 1968. It's as if every man, woman and child have been given 50 pounds of explosives, and they've taken to the streets. If you have asthma, it's wise to leave. By 6pm if there is no wind, a pall of smoke lies over the town.
One year the youngest and I were walking around the neighborhood near here, the noise was deafening, kids were running amok, and 5th grader Emily turned to me. "Dad" she said, "These are our people." Problem was, I agreed.
These pictures are not the 'official' fireworks display, that happens around 10:30 pm, and sometimes is a bit of an anti-climax after the preceding hours.
As you can see, they are coming from all over town.
The festivities start around 4pm, whole neighborhoods seem to have contests on who can set off the most firecrackers and M-80's. Then bottle rockets join the fray, and with the first hint of dusk the big stuff starts going off.
How does the local wildlife react to this? The same way I usually do:
Get outta Dodge.
So, where are you going this year?
ReplyDeleteAnd, what happens on the 4th?
Probably stay here, it's been a few years since I observed the madness.
DeleteWeirdly, nothing happens. Both the household and the public pyrotechnics go off on the 3rd. The 4th it's quiet.
I hear you Mike. I like the pretty stuff but the loud stuff I can do without. No, that's not right. I will avoid if at all possible.
ReplyDeleteStill it is nice when a town celebrates. Happy crowds are fun to be a part of so I guess if I lived there I would be torn about what to do. Might be a good time to throw back a few...
I handle it fine now, 43 years ago I had trouble with it. I think the economy has affected the local celebrations, people can't afford to send their kids to the fireworks stand with enough money to feed them for 4 days. Last year it was over and quiet just after midnight.
DeleteFireworks are unrestricted here and it is remarkable the displays some folks put on. But our biggest fireworks day is actually Labor Day. It was begun as an effort to distract people from labor issues since the area businesses are insanely anti-union.
ReplyDeleteHuh. Interesting, one of the explanations here for the day is that, somewhere around the turn of the century, One year, it fell on a Sunday. The mine owners, fearing all their employees would get drunk and not get to work, threw a free party on Saturday the 3rd. Free booze, food, fireworks. So, after that year, it was the 3rd here.
DeleteSome of the major battles of the labor/owners were fought out here. Many died, mostly on the labor side. Butte has remained a labor, democratic town, though that is slowly changing.
Butte? As in Butte, Montana? We used to live in Great Falls.
ReplyDeleteBetween the thunder and lightening and the neighbors warming up for the fourth our cat is nowhere in sight except at meal times the last few days! Thanks for stopping by to visit...
Yep, one and the same, the cultural hub of Montana.....
DeleteIt actually turned out to be the quietest I've experienced, no noise at all till 9pm, and it was over by midnight.