Brats, beer, the smell of gunpowder and the boom and crackle of fireworks as they light up the night sky.
If those words immediately evoke the thought of the Fourth of July, they may not do so for long.
Cities across the U.S. are planning to scrap their annual July 4 fireworks displays, replacing them with “environmentally-friendly” and safer drone shows.
Salt Lake City picks drones over fireworks for July 4, Pioneer Day – Axios https://t.co/01OnuplROP
— On Sale Drones (@onsaledrones) June 29, 2023
For instance, KSL reported that Salt Lake City, Utah’s Mayor Erin Mendenhall recently declared that the city will be foregoing traditional fireworks shows in favor of drone shows due to concerns over fire danger and air quality.
A press release issued by the mayor’s office stated that the decision to switch to non-firework events was a proactive measure aimed at addressing the city’s elevated risk of fires and mitigating the local air quality issues often associated with traditional fireworks.
According to a report by CNN, several cities in Colorado and California (no surprise there) are also switching to drones for their celebrations.
Several US Cities Are Replacing July 4th Fireworks With Drone Light Shows Due to ‘Environmental Concerns’ https://t.co/PTswOc7zj3
— The Gateway Pundit (@gatewaypundit) July 2, 2023
Jeff Stein, who runs California-based Drone Studios, told CNN that California’s La Jolla and Ocean Beach prefer drones because they are “quiet.”
“Drones are reusable, and with fireworks, you have smoke, other fallout like debris, the noise stresses out dogs and people with PTSD,” he told CNN.
Fireworks have been part of American history since the very first Independence Day in 1776.
It was Founding Father John Adams who came up with the idea to have fireworks to celebrate the nation’s birthday.
A day after the Continental Congress voted for independence on July 2 — yes, you read that right — July 2, 1776, Adams wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail Adams, that read in part:
“But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.”
Adams further shared his belief that this day would be celebrated by future generations as a great anniversary festival, saying, “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
Adams’s wish came true the next year, with celebrations including fireworks displays in Boston and Philadelphia on July 4, 1777.
According to Boston.com, “To commemorate the country’s first birthday, Col. Thomas Crafts — one of the Sons of Liberty and a Tea Partier before it was cool — lit off fireworks and shells over Boston Common.”
After an “elegant dinner” for members of Congress, the festivities concluded with the “ringing of bells and ‘a grand exhibition of fireworks.'”
A local newspaper reportedly wrote, “the face of joy and gladness was universal.”
So a tradition that spans almost 250 years may soon go the way of so many others that have formed part of our heritage and are embedded in our memories.
If your town still celebrates the “old-fashioned” way, seize the opportunity to take your family to the lake or the local park and watch the fireworks together this holiday.
In our climate-crazed society, it won’t be long before all that remains of this Fourth of July tradition are memories, like falling sparks, disappearing into the darkness.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
