Local

Flagstaff is celebrating the Fourth of July without fireworks. Here’s how.

The city of Flagstaff is swapping fireworks this Fourth of July for a safer alternative.

drones laid out
Multiple drones arranged for a drone show. (Shutterstock Photo/SLSK Photography)

I can’t believe we’ll already be celebrating July Fourth this week—this year is flying by.

It’s nice that the Fourth falls on a Friday this year, so we don’t have to worry about being up too late to see fireworks.

There are lots of fireworks shows going on across the state, but I wanted to highlight an interesting event happening in Flagstaff: a drone show.

RELATED: The most dazzling Fourth of July fireworks across Arizona

Drones present much less of a wildfire risk than fireworks, making them a safe and unique alternative for the area.

I’ve never seen a drone show before, but they look really cool. I’ve seen people advocate for them over fireworks because, along with the reduced fire risk, they don’t cause loud booms that can be an issue for pets and people with PTSD.

Flagstaff’s free, 25-minute show will kick off around 9:10 p.m. Some viewing locations include:

  • Buffalo Park, 2400 N. Gemini Dr.
  • Moonshot, 2225 N. Gemini Dr.
  • The Flagstaff Aquaplex, 1702 N. Fourth St.
  • McMillan Mesa Natural Area, 1140 Ponderosa Pkwy.
  • Joel Montalvo Park, 2211 E. First Ave.
  • The Basin BMX Freestyle Facility, 1700 E. Sixth Ave.
  • Hal Jensen Recreation Center, 2403 N. Izabel St.

This flyer provides a list of more viewing locations along with parking information.

Along with the show, the city is hosting a Fourth of July parade, a one-mile race, an arts and crafts festival, and a symphony concert.

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Jessica Swarner
Jessica Swarner Newsletter Editor
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