Tempe plans spectacular fireworks display

A whole bunch of "boom" is set to go off at Tempe Beach Park. The July Fourth Tempe Town Lake Festival is promising the longest, largest fireworks show in the state when the first fuse is lit Friday night.

Firing off from the Mill Avenue bridges will be more than 12,500 pyrotechnic devices for 40 minutes of fun.

Local festivities for the Fourth of July

Click to view a map of parking for the festival

Even more, the man holding the metaphorical match is promising some surprises.

"Lots of new fireworks this year - and I can't even tease them because I've never seen them," said Steve Barnes, of Fireworks Productions of Arizona.

This is the 57th annual Independence Day celebration in Tempe, and Tempe Beach Park has served as the venue since 2000. Organizers and city officials are expecting 40,000 to 50,000 ticket-holders inside the park and 100,000 others watching from outside the grounds.

For those not near the park, they can hear the soundtrack simulcast on radio station KMXP (96.9 FM). And for those who want to stay home, the show will be telecast live on KPHO-TV (Channel 5).

But who wants to stay home?

"The ability to showcase the fireworks on TV is nothing like what it's like in person," city parks and recreation manager Mark Richwine said.

While the big draw is the fireworks, which start at 9:20 p.m., the event also has live entertainment, a children's play area, food court, a beer garden and a local "Idol." Alex Izzo recently won the first-ever Star Spangled Idol competition, and at 7 p.m., accompanied by two F-16 fighter jets from Luke Air Force Base, she will sing the national anthem.

The July Fourth Tempe Town Lake Festival is a charity event produced by the Kiwanis Club of Tempe and sponsored by Salt River Project, TruWest Credit Union and KPHO. For more information, visit www.tempe4th.com.

If you go

Parking

Free parking for the handicapped is available at the US Airways parking garage located on the northwest corner of Mill Avenue and Third Street.

The following parking lots are available for a $10 charge:

SunCor Parking Garage

Rural Road and Rio Salado Parkway - Lot 59

Tempe Mission Palms

Rio Salado Parkway and Hardy Drive ($5 charge)

Buses

Riding the bus is free. Most Tempe bus routes will operate special high-frequency service to downtown Tempe until 8 p.m., with return service until midnight. All routes serving downtown will drop off and pick up on the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and University Drive in the Tempe Center parking lot.

Residents are encouraged to park at one of the following locations and enjoy a free ride to the festivities:

Tempe Library Complex, at the southwest corner of Southern Avenue and Rural Road.

Tempe Sports Complex, on Hardy Drive just north of Warner Road.

Arizona Mills mall, at entry one on Priest Drive.

Tempe Marketplace, McClintock Drive and Rio Salado Parkway.

Walking

The Mill Avenue bridges will be closed to all traffic.