When does the 4th of July start in your town?
 

The evening of the 28th we had some sporadic fireworks from the surrounding hills. It rained a 1/2" Friday afternoon, possibly encouraging those who had feared starting a fire to break out their supply. One of the major displays in town is tonight, on the night of the 4th there'll be a display over the lake.
I'd like to think there's at least a subliminal component of patriotism that causes the locals to spent hundreds on private fireworks.
I once spent a summer in Taos NM, the populace seemed to take their fireworks pretty seriously also. Seemed like they started about the 15th.
How's the rest of the country manage this time of the year?
Jim

12 midnight?

I think the 4th of July is usually held.... wait for it....

on the 4th of July.

An interesting note. I was working in the officers club one summer in Rota Spain. The base is actually a Spanish Military base, so the only time that the American flag can be flown on the base is for the 4th of July. So there on base the 4th of July is a week long party. There is a small fair with games, live bands, rides, etc... It's pretty neat. Anyway, I was talking to a guy that worked with me in the kitchen. His father had been a GI and his mom was a Spanish National so he had grown up there, but was fluent in English. He asked how long the 4th celebration usually is in the states, and I told him 1 day. And even at that, mostly just that evening. He was amazed. I think he told me that the Spanish Independence day is a week long and that the shortest holiday that they have is 3 days.

Here in Hermosa Beach, any excuse for a party. 4th of July started last night (friday) and will continue until a week from Sunday.

There's one hispanic family behind us that can put most professional displays to shame. While I enjoy a good fireworks show, I don't enjoy my home being in harms way by amatuers during the driest year in recent memory. We're not talking about anything legal for private citizens. These are rocket mortars and launch sequences. Big stuff!

Also our dog, that recently passed, would tremble non-stop for hours so that was added stress for everyone.

I expect more of the same, major explosions, colorful skies, barking dogs, and the smell of gunpowder everywhere. There will be loads of spent shell carcasses on my lawns and roof.

The city of Whittier recently banned even the mundane(safe and sane) stuff this year. Unfortunately, our area is in unincorporated Whittier, so only LA county laws apply to our neighborhood.

There's a high school not a mile from here that put on a very nice display. Being on a hill allows us to see it clearly from our home. Wish that was enough for everyone....

Well, the fourth starts on the 5th of July for me, as that is when I start building fireworks for the next year :)

-Nick

It usually starts around mid June around here... but I was commenting with friends last night over beers that it has been strangely quite this year... so far.