Thousands come together for Lacey Fireworks Spectacular

Over 10,000 area residents gathered at Rainier Vista Community Park on Thursday, July 3, for the annual Lacey Fireworks Spectacular, a Thurston County institution for over 50 years.
The free community festival featured over 20 food vendors, a kid zone with a bounce house, slide, and other rides, and live musical performances from House Party and Harmonious Funk. Sponsors included Capital Development Company, TwinStar Credit Union, Country Financial and others.

Throngs of people filtered in throughout the day, as buses shuttled in teenagers and families from nearby Timberline High School, Komachin Middle School and Lakes Elementary. In the early evening, zoologist Don Riggs wowed a large group of young children with his collection of snakes, gators, and rare lizards.

City of Lacey Communications Manager Ty Keltner said the decision to host the event on the third of July is part of a longstanding tradition. Live entertainment was chosen by the city’s parks department.

“And every year they look for just fun music, semi-local acts, so like regional bands,” Keltner said.

“So we’ll get a variety of genres here, too. People last year were playing all kinds of funk hits and stuff and the year before that, I mean, we had hits of the 80s and then the hits of the 90s. And then tonight, we had a 90s band (House Party) specializing in 90s music, and then we’ve got a pure funk band coming on later.”

That band, Harmonious Funk, kept the energy up late into the evening with a wide range of danceable hits from Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Chris Stapleton and more.

By the time the group was finished, the sun had descended below the horizon, and the field in front of the stage was packed with thousands of guests patiently awaiting the fireworks.
The main event kicked off at 10 p.m. with a roughly 30-minute show that lit up the night sky over the park’s treeline. 3D glasses were provided courtesy of Lacey Collision Center.

Outside the park and across the street, families stood together on the sidewalk, or sat on chairs in their front yards. One couple sat on their roof, taking in the fireworks from an elevated perspective.

“We get more than 10,000 people here every single year,” Keltner said. “And it’s exciting because it’s a beautiful fireworks show. And thankfully, it’s a beautiful night, as well.”