God Bless Holladay City!

I wasn't really looking forward to celebrating Independence Day the same way I have for the last several years...which is in a cigarette cloud of chaos at Sugarhouse Park. Don't get me wrong, the fireworks there are amazing...but that is really about it. Too much traffic, cigarettes, people, ridiculously loud music and lets face it...wife beaters and tattoos. It was 7pm and still I had no idea how I was going to celebrate the 4th but I knew it wasn't going to be at Sugarhouse Park! I was on my way to Fletcher's when I passed a small crowd gathering in front of a stage on the field of a little Holladay elementary school. I thought to myself "Holladay does fireworks?" I had lived in Holladay for 10 years not (except for a few crazy years in Midvale) and had never known about this top secret fireworks event. It was worth checking out...so we returned at about 9pm to a bigger crowd but they were tame, smelled good, cleaned up nice and seemed to be enjoying the Salt Lake City Orchestra's renditions of films scores from Indiana Jones, Star Wars, etc. (If those aren't a slice of Americana, I don't know what is.) We parked really close and found a nice spot on the lawn. The stage dawned a HUGE American flag and as the orchestra played on, more and more good smelling people joined us on the lawn. They played some number (forgive me for not knowing the name) but I recognized it as patriotic and it had several cannon blasts in it (you know the one). Just before fireworks were to start, they asked the entire crowd to stand and sing the "Star Spangled Banner" and do the Pledge of Allegiance!!!!! I was so excited that they actually do that...and I felt myself welling up with tears of patriotism. Then the firework display started. It gave Sugarhouse a good run for its money AND it went on for 35 MINUTES!!! I couldn't believe it!!! On top of that, it was done to patriot music including a finale to "Coming To America" by Neil Diamond. I could actually hear other people singing along with good ole Neil!!!!! There seemed to a good sense of pride and appreciate for our beautiful America!!!! It was something to be a part of. (And another thing, we were to our car, and out of traffic in FIVE MINUTES!!) Stadium of Fire better watch out...because cute little Holladay City who really knows how to celebrate America's birthday.