In case you missed it, the Stars and Stripes 4th of July Celebration was a wonderful event to end a great day.

I personally have produced large shows and events and can tell you first hand that it is a time-consuming process and nothing can be taken for granted. Sharon Silva, CEO of the Turlock Chamber of Commerce, Desa Basulto, director of the Turlock Visitors and Convention Bureau, along with their dedicated team of board members, volunteers and sponsors, gathered together to bring Turlock their dearly beloved 4th of July fireworks.
And this all came together in less than a few weeks.  

The show went off without incident. Indicative of the Turlock lifestyle, it was calm, friendly, safe and entertaining. Music from the Gotchalks Concert Band led by Ernie Bucio played in the background. Special recognition went to Seabee Derek Miles, for outstanding service. If you do not know about the Navy Seabees, you should learn. They are an intricate part of our military service and play an important roll in securing our troops on foreign soil.  

Derek was also the flag bearer for the 4th of July parade held downtown.

As the fair grounds began to cool with the evening, the seating area was filled with blankets and chairs and a long line of cars were still on their way into the parking lot. Unconfirmed at this writing, but best guess estimate was 5,000 in attendance. By show time this is where you wanted to be. For all those who complain about what they did or did not get from the event, this show was absolutely worth every penny and every waiting moment.  

The entire show was about 45 minutes long. From my point of view, I have seen plenty of fireworks and this by far was the best fireworks show I have seen in a very long time. Tony Leo, CEO of the Stanislaus County Fair agreed with my observations, as he said “it is the best show I’ve ever seen!” That says a lot from someone who has seen his “fair” share of events and shows.  So all in all Turlock, if you were there it was great seeing you, if you were not, we missed you. Let’s do it again!
To contact Kristi Massey, e-mail kmassey@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141.