Faces of the Fourth!

Top left: Perhaps the youngest attendee at Broken Bow’s fireworks display, Taelyn Shaw turned five months old July 3. She is shown being held by her mom, Katrina Shaw.

Left: Dressed up and ready to watch fireworks is four-year-old Isabelle Coleman who was at Melham Park with her mother Brianna Coleman and her grandmother Becky Weber.

Below: Social distancing in the car and ready for fireworks are Ann Chapin, left, and Lola Chapin with Gene Chapin (not pictured).

Above: Comfortable and ready for the show are Karen and Rick Hank of Broken Bow.

Center: Fireworks explode in the sky over Melham Park, July 4, 2020.

BROKEN BOW - Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, or perhaps because of it, the sales of fireworks were high this year and there was a good crowd for Broken Bow’s annual fireworks display Saturday July 4.

The City’s show began shortly after 10 p.m. and lasted about 25 minutes. Rockets of red, white, green and purple lit up the sky over Melham Park much to the delight of the crowd. Many spectators opted to stay in their vehicles to watch the display. Others brought out lawn chairs or sat in the back of pickup trucks.

Craig Koehrsen said watching the show reminded him of watching fireworks a long time ago. He thought the show was good this year. “It’s always a heck of a show,” he said.

The weather cooperated with low breezes and mild temps. Before the show began, Mother Nature added her touch to the scene with lots of fireflies.

Members of Broken Bow’s volunteer fire department set off the fire works. Fire Chief Jason Baum said the show went smoothly. “It went well,” he said.

Baum confirmed the fire department’s firework stand sold out of fireworks this year. “It was a good year, above average,” he said. Gene Chapin, a member of the fire department, said, “We sold everything. Everyone worked so hard. The kids who signed up were selling like crazy!”

Don Wolford with the Broken Bow Lions Clubs confirmed the Lions Firework stand also sold out. The only things left by 6 p.m. on the 4th were boxes of punks.

“This was the first time we sold totally out,” Wolford said. “One time, we had four boxes left. This was a good year.”

Woldford said Friday, July 3 was a record day with the stand selling more than it has sold before on the day before the Fourth.

As to what caused the increase in fireworks sales this year, speculation is that people were ready to celebrate being out and about after months of social distancing and seclusion. Wolford said he also heard a rumor that other area stands had sold out and people were coming to Broken Bow to buy.

The Lions donate a portion of their fireworks proceeds to the Broken Bow Fire Department. Proceeds from the Fire Departments sales go towards the annual fireworks display at Melham Park.