Sparks & Spangles to celebrate Independence Day
Fireworks-only show to be featured on KLAK
MELISSA (June 2, 2022) Melissa’s celebration of Independence Day, Sparks and Spangles, is set for Saturday, July 2 with a fireworks-only display that will feature colorful bursts that rise as high as 700 feet in the air. The 2022 version of Sparks and Spangles would have been the second annual, but last year’s late spring rains caused the inaugural event to be postponed.
This year, the City is partnering with 97.5 KLAK, a popular FM station serving large areas of North Texas. The station will be promoting the Sparks and Spangles event for several weeks prior to the event and on July 2 will broadcast patriotic music along with brief messages and announcements from members of the City Council. The special broadcast begins at 6 p.m. with patriotic music beginning at around 9 p.m.
“We’re very excited about the association with 97.5 KLAK, since that will provide the soundtrack for our celebration,” said Melissa City Manager Jason Little. “At the same time, the company that furnishes our fireworks has upgraded the size and capacity of the propellant to produce bursts that rise higher in the sky and produce larger blooms, meaning that the fireworks will be easily seen from a fairly large area. The launch point is close to City Hall, so nearby neighborhoods will have an excellent view of the half-hour display.”
The Sparks and Spangles show will feature shells measuring six inches in circumference, capable of producing multicolored blooms from 200 to approximately 700 feet in the air. To put the height into perspective, the tops of the water towers in Melissa rise approximately 165 feet in the air. The six-inch shells were used last August during the Back to School with a Blast fireworks display that replaced the 2021 Sparks and Spangles.
Scheduled to start between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., depending on the level of light still apparent, the show is scheduled to last almost 30 minutes. After the August show, City officials received many compliments from residents in neighborhoods as far away as Berry Farms, expressing delight that the fireworks could be easily seen.
Public locations that will offer excellent views include City Hall Plaza, 3411 Barker Ave.; Melissa Middle School, 3150 Cardinal Dr.; and Zadow Park, 3001 McKinney St (SH 5).
City-owned locations, as well as those belonging to the Melissa ISD, do not allow alcohol or glass containers on their premises. Lawn chairs, blankets, picnic baskets, and insect repellant are encouraged. “We’re looking forward to a great show on July 2,” said Little.