Fireworks displays lighting up St. Joseph on the Fourth

Jul. 2—Whether residents celebrate Independence Day with a barbecue or a baseball game, fireworks displays will light up the sky in several spots around St. Joseph on Thursday.

The City of St. Joseph will host a fireworks show in the North Shoppes at 9:30 p.m. on July 4. The fireworks are set to begin 15 minutes after dark at Northeast Park, behind the YMCA.

According to the St. Joseph Parks, Recreation and Civic Facilities, the best viewing for the fireworks will be in the parking lots of the YMCA, Green Acres, Regal Hollywood Theater and Kohl's.

Jessica Oshel, the special events and communications coordinator for the parks department, explained that there will be a slight change this year.

"This year we will have something different," Oshel said. "So, we are shooting off some bigger shells than in the past, but with that comes a bigger buffer space. So no one will be able to sit in the lawn of the YMCA this year like we have in the past."

All roads in the North Shoppes will operate normally, with the streets department helping direct traffic after the show.

There will be no food or drink vendors at the city's firework display, so attendees are encouraged to bring their own.

The parks department will provide a rain date should bad weather occur on the Fourth.

The St. Joseph Mustangs baseball team will also be hosting firework shows, but not just on the Fourth. At the Mustangs' home games in Phil Welch Stadium on July 3, 4 and 6, there will be firework displays to celebrate the holiday.

Ky Turner, the team owner of the Mustangs, said their fans are accustomed to fireworks displays, but these will be extra special.

"If you come to a Mustangs game, a lot of people associate us with fireworks, which we have every Saturday thanks to Mosaic Life Care," Turner said. "But then also, this week we're gonna have three shows, but two really special ones on July 3 and July 4. It's kind of a tradition for a lot of people in St. Joe and the community now. And so July 3 and July 4, we do put a little bit extra care, a little bit longer. They're awesome shows."