The 247th anniversary of America's independence lit up the town of Cortez in a dazzling spectacle, as Parque de Vida came alive with a series of family-centered activities and fireworks illuminating the night sky with celebration.

Preparations for the evening's celebrations kicked off early as residents and visitors alike descended upon the area in the early morning, ensuring they nabbed the best viewing spots for the evening’s main event. They came prepared with picnic blankets and quaint camping tents, turning the open space into a cozy outdoor lounge, bustling yet relaxed.

Vendors set up stalls with options included Piccadilly, tamales, American comfort food, and a Native American food truck with flavors that mirrored the diverse crowd in attendance.

Later in the day, anticipation filled the hot day with a buzz of activity as the community readied themselves for the night’s Independence Day festivities. Many attendees throughout were playing the popular game cornhole while skaters and bicyclists did tricks in the skatepark nearby.

Kicking off the day’s festivities, the Four Corners Community Band delivered a performance at Centennial Park in the afternoon. Their concert, which took place the first hour of scheduled events, drew in early comers and set the tone for the celebrations to come.

The energy only escalated as the evening unfolded and the temperature cooled down with a mild breeze. The live band Flashback took over the stage at 7 p.m. and rocked the classic tunes and kept attendees entertained until the fireworks began a little after 9 p.m.

It was apparent that vibrant community spirit and patriotic fervor often go hand in hand in Cortez. For Dolores resident Shannon Englehart, a local vendor from End of the Trail Catering, the holiday holds a special place in her heart. “I was shocked the first few events I went to. I was like, 'For a little town, they sure do pull together, you know.' And yes, we are. We are a very strong community.”

For Englehart, the Fourth of July is more than just an occasion for fireworks – it's an opportunity to express her love for this country, as evident from the flying American flags adorning the vendor stall.

“I'm always down for fireworks. Flying American flags everywhere. Every time our barbecue is set up, our flags are flying,” Englehart said.

End of the Trail Catering’s Fourth of July festivities not only garnered the appreciation of the local community but also managed to impress visitors from afar. One such couple, Stu and Rose Van Orden from Stillwater, Oklahoma, had the opportunity to experience the event during their visit to the area.

“I'm really actually impressed by the community here,” Rose said as a testament to the sense of unity, enthusiasm, and activities surrounding her.

The Fourth of July celebration presented a perfect opportunity for Tammy Johnson and Trena Shorty to gather their loved ones and enjoy the sense of togetherness fostered by the event. They kept their tradition ever since their grandparents were around and they would have cookouts in the park before the fireworks spectacle.

“I really like bringing my family together for events like this,” said Johnson, illustrating the social glue role such celebrations play, creating an environment that encourages connection and camaraderie among families and friends.

When asked why they like coming to this event, Shorty put it simply with enthusiasm as “Big Boom.”

More than a thousand fireworks, including 3-inch, 4-inch, and 5-inch aerial shells, along with prepackaged multishot aerial cakes, burst into life in the sky. This year’s show, costing about $30,000, was a joint venture of the city of Cortez and the Cortez Fire Protection District, with the city contributing $20,000 toward the cost.

One might think that preparing and lighting fireworks is an easy feat, but when talking with Sgt. Staton Jeter, it’s a complex process. In total, by the first “boom,” the Cortez Fire Protection District invested more than 100 hours into the display setup. This included setting up and connecting 10,000 feet of wires into one wire and using the control box.

Inspired by Keenan Ertel’s fireworks show from previous years, Jeter said that not only does he have a love for fireworks, but what drives him to put on donation-based shows is his ability to give back to the community.

“One e-match lights off 600 shots. I have 42 cakes sitting out there today, so quite a bit of wiring together,” Jeter said. 'Cakes' in the fireworks context refer to multiple tubes linked together by a single fuse. The fuse lights each tube in sequence, creating a series of shots. “We’re trying to pull off some cool effects. We try to sync them together to make cool combinations like red, white, and blue,” Jeter said.

Jeter brought back an exciting new element to this year's fireworks display – gasoline mines. Looking like a dragon breathing flame upward, these custom-made devices added a dramatic flair to the beginning of the show.

“The creation of these custom devices involved carefully weighing and packing black powder to make a lift charge. The charge is placed at the bottom of the tube, which also contains a mixture of gasoline and water,” Jeter said.

Upon ignition, the lift charge propels the gasoline-water mixture into the sky. The result is an impressive smoke ring that enhances the visual spectacle of the fireworks show. Jeter shared that they had prepared these gas mines to light up the night sky, adding a layer of excitement and novelty to the traditional fireworks display.

As the echoes of the final fireworks subsided, the spectators remained captivated by the grand spectacle of light and sound. Through its celebrations, Cortez encapsulated the essence of Independence Day – a testament to unity, community spirit and the shared pride of being American.