Marquette prepares to light up the sky

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Independence Day celebrations will take place all week with parades, festivals and, most importantly, fireworks.

But Chris Durley of the Marquette Fourth of July Celebration Committee said it takes a lot of work to make the fireworks happen every year.

“There’s a lot of rules and regulations that are imposed by local and state regulators,” Durley said. “Things that make sure you’re not tripping over wires and you don’t want to lean over the barrels. We put the cartridges down, we plug them in, we plug them into the control panel, it’s just a lot of wiring and a lot of finger work.”

Today, a team of pyrotechnicians, with the help of community volunteers, spent the day setting up this year’s show.

Although only licensed pyrotechnicians could handle the shells and wiring, everything had to be moved to the end of the ore dock by barge and unloaded, something one volunteer, an NMU student named Luke Odgers, said he was happy to help with.

“I mean it’s really unique,” ​​Odgers said. “Being able to have fireworks and a decommissioned ore dock is not very common, so the fact that we can do it is really cool. I’m still new to the area, so any chance I get to be involved in anything Marquette related, I want to do it. I want to do my best to try to make this community my community.”

Like last year, the fireworks will take place on July 3, as well as a laser show on the mineral quay on July 3 and 4.

Mike Bradford of the Marquette Downtown Development Authority said the lasers are a great way to make sure everyone can celebrate Independence Day in their own way.

“Fireworks are loud,” Bradford said. “Not everyone can really enjoy them. Like people with PTSD and other people with sensory overload who are very sensitive to it, lasers seemed like a great opportunity.”

Fireworks and lasers will begin after sunset on both days to ensure they are clearly visible.

If it rains on the 3rd, the fireworks will be moved to the 4th and the laser show will be moved to the 5th.