Fireworks displays take work

By GINA KINSLOW

GLASGOW — It takes a lot of work to put Fourth of July celebrations together.

“If it’s the fifth time you’re doing it, it’s a whole lot easier than if you’re doing it for the first time,” said Bill Pott, owner of Jellystone Park Camp Resort in Cave City.

When Pott bought the campground about five years ago, the previous owners were already hosting a Fourth of July fireworks display.

“My concern was making sure we had professional-quality fireworks,” he said.

He began by sending a campground employee to be trained on how to shoot fireworks, but then he found it much easier to hire a professional company to do the fireworks.

“I’ve been working with the same group for four years,” he said.

The fireworks are done by Premier Pyrotechnics, which is headquartered in Missouri.

“We’ve been able to more than double the size of the show in the last couple of years,” Pott said.

A lot of decisions must be made in planning a fireworks display. He must decide if he wants a large fireworks display, if he wants the fireworks to make noise, or if he wants to have music playing during the fireworks show. Those decisions help determine the cost of the show, which he splits with the city of Cave City and the Cave City Chamber of Commerce. The fireworks show runs between $3,600 to $3,800 each year. Pott usually contributes $1,500 to $2,000 each year, while the rest of the money comes from other sources, he said.

“This year we are working with the Chamber to make sure we can do some fundraising so we get a kitty toward next year,” Pott said.

The fireworks display, which was Friday night, is made possible each year with help from campground employees, police officers with the Cave City Police Department, volunteers with the Cave City Chamber of Commerce and firefighters with the Cave City Volunteer Fire Department.

The campground employees work with the pyrotechnic company to make sure they have what they need. They also make sure the campground is mowed well, especially the area where the fireworks will be detonated. Employees with the city of Cave City rope off parking areas and employees and volunteers with the Chamber of Commerce pitch in where ever they are needed. Cave City police officers provide security during the event, and firefighters with the Cave City Volunteer Fire Department are on standby during the event in case they are needed.

“It takes at least 15 to 20 people to make it happen,” Pott said. “They are either volunteers, or they are volunteered by their employers.”

It takes a lot more to put together the Fourth of July celebration at Barren River Lake State Park.

“The entire park staff is involved,” said Monica Conrad, park manager, adding the state park employs around 100 people.

“We start planning for the event weeks in advance, months in some cases,” she said. “Most of our staff, fortunately, have been preparing for this event for many years. The maintenance staff has to get the area set up for the fireworks to be shot off, so that takes some preparation. The recreation department is also busy getting the activities planned for the beach party. We are always gearing up for the Fourth of July weekend. It’s one of our biggest weekends of the year.”

The Fourth of July Celebration at the state park features not only fireworks, but a beach party, too.

This year, due to a shortfall in state funding, the state park feared it would not have a fireworks display, but thanks to the Friends of Barren River Lake and the organization’s fundraising efforts the fireworks display continued this year as it has in years past.