TIGARD, Ore. — Fireworks shows on the Fourth of July have been happening for years, but in recent years some cities have been making a change in how they celebrate. The city of Tigard is one of the cities opting for a fireworks-free 4th of July show this year — using drones.
"We're launching 200 drones. 200 drones, 400 feet up in the air," said Kent Wyatt, communications manager for the city of Tigard. He mentioned the change comes amid rising temperatures and safety. "Last year in particular and then if you look at some prior years — just the temperatures reaching 90, 100s."
The drone show is being put on by Sky Elements, a Texas based company that put on drone shows throughout the year in various cities.
"It's a switch, one that we've really done a lot of outreach and communication about. The differences and what to expect," Wyatt said. "It will be different, but I think more inclusive. When making this decision, focusing on three key elements. One, the environment being a lot more environmentally friendly. A lot of debris, air pollution. Veterans, folks with PTSD, even kids who may be on the autism spectrum — a lot more welcoming for them and just your wildlife or pets."
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The city looked at various options over the course of three to four months before settling on using a drone show in place of fireworks.
Wyatt said, it'll last about the same amount of time as the fireworks show the city had previously put on for the past 35 plus years. It'll also be geared towards the city and not a generic show recycled from other cities.
"I'm excited for folks to see things up in the air and think, 'That's that Tigard landmark' — really be able to relate to that. You'll really know you're in Tigard, when you're at the drone show."
Tigard's Independence Day drone show celebration is free to the public and gates open at 6 p.m. at the Tigard High School football field.
Light shows around Oregon
Other cities are doing the same. The cities of Lake Oswego and Wilsonville have opted for a laser light show on the 4th of July in lieu of fireworks.
Lake Oswego's show will light the sky starting around 10 p.m., with the fun starting around 8 p.m. at Foothills Park.
Wilsonville's laser light show begins at 8 p.m. on July 4th at the city's Town Center Park.
For the last several years, the Historic Trust in Vancouver has moved from one of the area's largest fireworks shows, to a family-friendly picnic in the park called Summerfest. This year's event takes place on Saturday at Fort Vancouver.