Patriotic spectacular skies

The Porterville Exchange Club and Eagle Mountain Casino are teaming up to present “Salute to Heroes” — a choreographed display of music and fireworks Friday night.

“We’re dedicating the show to all the heroes that have served our nation — past and present,” said City Council member Felipe Martinez.

“Independence Day should be the most important holiday to all Americans.”

Doors open at 6 p.m., with soft drinks, kettle corn, hot dogs and hamburgers available for purchase.

“It’s a hometown environment for celebrating our independence,” Martinez said.

The community is also encouraged to take old cell phones to the show. A collection box will be available, with the phones being sent to a place that provides them for United States military men and women.

From 7-to 8-p.m., the band “Trick Shot” will perform. They will be followed by 17-year-old Vanessa Martinez, who is planning on singing patriotic songs, Frank Sinatra and Perry Como songs, and the National Anthem.

In addition, three stationary pieces — one of an American flag, one of the Exchange Club logo, and one of the Eagle Mountain logo — will be lit on the field.

The $18,000 pyro-musical is scheduled to start at dusk.

“It’s quite a process. I’ll be on the radio advising my crew when to light the fire works and shoot them off,” Graves said. “I get the command from a booth above the stands. It all has to be done in conjunction with the music.”

In all, an approximate 260 aerial shells will be fired, with an approximate 180 of them fired for the grand finale of the show.

“It’ll be a pretty big explosion,” Graves said.

The Porterville Exchange Club has been putting on the city’s annual firework show for approximately 45 years.

Graves said when he first started with the club in 1968, the show cost $1,500.

“That is a big difference,” Graves said. “The cost is getting prohibitive.”

For that reason, a $2.00 entry fee will be charged at the gate to help offset some of the cost. Children under age 12 will be admitted free.

“The show is costing us more than it ever has before,” Graves said. “Most of our fireworks come from China and this past year they had four of their warehouses burn down. As a result their supply is down and we had a 20-percent increase this year and are expecting a 30-percent increase next year.”

But those braving the heat can expect to have a great time.

“It will be very patriotic show. We start with ‘Stars and Stripes’ and ‘Our Country’ and end with an armed force medley and ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic,’” said Bill Graves, firework show chairman, and a licensed pyrotechnician.

“It’s really a good show, there’s a lot of fireworks and it lasts 18 minutes — that’s $1,000 a minute going up in smoke.”

-- Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1047 or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.