There’s something exciting about looking into the sky as fireworks flash red, white and blue, with the music playing John Phillips Sousa with the blasts beating in your chest. Thousands of spectators from around the county gathered at Sugar House Park to watch the show and celebrate the Fourth of July. 

Celebrations started early throughout Sugar House, at places like Wilmington Plaza, Hidden Hollow and Sugarmont. The Arts Festival was spread out and even though the temperatures were high, it didn’t stop people from enjoying the art, live music and food. 

“We love seeing all the vendors and things like that, I like how it’s grown, it’s really cool,” Mindee Olliff, one of the attendees, said. 

There were also those who saved their places for the grand finale—the firework display. Sugar House Park had a variety of food trucks, entertainment and, of course, live music. 

“I’ve been to a few in the valley, and this one I think it’s the biggest, I swear this is the longest and best-looking show,” Olliff said. 

Olliff is one of Dee and Barbara Anderson’s children, and their family has been going to Sugar House Park annually for about 12 years, never missing a show, except the year there wasn’t a show. The family visits the nearby KFC and then sits and has a picnic while waiting for the display of explosions. 

“My parents had a big yard, and we used to have a tradition of going there every year,” Barbara Anderson said. “They got older and couldn’t do it anymore, and when we used to go to their place we were there all day then we would come here for the fireworks.” 

The Andersons since have had to come earlier and earlier since the event has grown but enjoy spending the time with their family. The Andersons come from Millcreek to watch the firework display and spend time with family. Barbara said that Sugar House has become their new tradition since they are now the grandparents. They set up camp with chairs, bring a cooler with drinks and spread blankets on top of the north hill to get the best view. 

“What I think has been cool about this over the years, it gets wall to wall people but they’re nice people,” Barbara said. 

Even with the changes over the years, with the event growing as it has with the addition of the festival and the food trucks, the Anderson family likes how it has grown. One of their favorite firework displays was the show after 9/11 when the fireworks were in sync with the patriotic music. 

“It was a tear jerker,” Olliff said. 

The Andersons have tried other firework shows but they just aren’t the same as Sugar House, with the hills that make for great viewing. One year they went to Murray Park to appease their daughter and son-in-law but decided that Sugar House was where it was at. 

“Now they come back here,” Dee Anderson said. “They’ve repented.”