WATSONVILLE — This year, the Fourth of July festivities in Watsonville will end with a bang — literally.
“Fire in the Sky,” the city’s first fireworks show in many years, will be held during an open house at the Watsonville Municipal Airport from 5-9:30 p.m., after the annual Spirit of Watsonville Parade.
Airport Manager Rayvon Williams said the event is an opportunity to highlight the important role the airport plays in Watsonville and the region.
“There’s still quite a number of people who have never stepped inside,” he said. “We want people to know that the airport does have a place in the city’s day-to-day activities, and many people may not realize the impact it has on their lives.”
During the event, California Highway Patrol and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office will display their aircraft. Air ambulance Calstar and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection will also bring aircraft to the field.
Airport tenants have also been invited to display personal, flying club, trainers and corporate aircraft.
Fire in the Sky will also include formation flyovers, food trucks, introductory flights and a screening of the film “Angry Birds.” The event will conclude with a nearly 20-minute firework show.
Williams said the idea for the event came up during a conversation he had with City Manager Charles Montoya, who were brainstorming ways to promote the airport to the general public.
“We expect the Fire in the Sky Airport Open House to be one of the biggest community events in Watsonville, offering an opportunity to see what’s special about the airport, with over 10 food trucks, family movie, and fireworks show, you won’t want to miss it,” said Assistant City Manager Matt Huffaker.
Noting that it’s the only free fireworks show in Santa Cruz County on July 4, Huffaker said city officials are expecting “thousands” of people to attend, and have received “a lot of positive feedback.”
“Our hope is to make this a new annual tradition,” he said.
Huffaker added that officials are working to collect sponsorships from businesses in the community to help cover the costs for the event, with about $14,000 raised so far.
The introduction of a fireworks show may help combat the use of illegal fireworks during the Fourth of July in the city, said Watsonville Fire Division Chief/Fire Marshal Rudy Lopez.
“Anything that we can do to deter people from using illegal fireworks, we are in favor of,” he said.
Those looking to celebrate the Fourth at home are advised to only use “safe and sane” fireworks — those that do not explode or leave the ground — and should only be used as they were designed to, Lopez said.
Illegal fireworks, such as M-80s, bottle rockets, M-100s, mortars and cherry bombs, are a major safety hazard, and could result in personal injury or property damage, he noted.
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Admission is free to Fire in the Sky, with vehicle parking on the runway costing $10.
Business sponsorships and volunteers are sought for the event. For information, call the City Manager’s Office at 768-3010.
