Moses Lake expects large crowd for Independence Day concert
Freddy Pink Band, fireworks highlight McCosh Park celebration
MOSES LAKE — City officials are expecting both the sky, and McCosh Park to be filled to capacity Tuesday night.
Moses Lake will pay tribute to the United States on its birthday at the park's Centennial Amphitheater, while kicking off the park's free concert series with the Freddy Pink Band and annual fireworks display.
The festivities begin with a patriotic flag ceremony, when organizers bring out a 30- by 44-foot flag as big as the stage itself is brought out for the pledge of allegiance before the Freddy Pink Band takes the stage at 8 p.m.
The Seattle-based Freddy Pink Band has been playing for Northwest audiences for more than 25 years, the eight-piece band playing a unique style of rhythm and blues which Pink calls "Northwest Rock n' Soul."
The Freddy Pink Band is the first in the series of concerts this summer, which will be playing for crowds at the amphitheater most Saturdays through August.
Fireworks are planned when it gets dark enough to shoot them off, which city Parks and Recreation Director Spencer Grigg said will be between 10 and 10:15 p.m.
The city has upped its fireworks display this year, with an increase from $10,000 to $15,000 worth of shells for the show. Grigg said it is the philosophy and goal of the pyrotechnists to have a shell in the air the entire show from start to finish.
"It will be an amazing show with that big of a shell count," Grigg said.
But while the city will be lighting its display over the park, Grigg wanted to remind concertgoers that all personal fireworks are prohibited in McCosh, and all other city parks. With filled to capacity crowds in McCosh Park Tuesday night, Grigg suggested people leave their pyrotechnics at home.
The Fourth of July has kicked off as an event since 1991, the summer after the amphitheater was completed. But Grigg said they have been lighting fireworks from McCosh Park for as long as he could remember.
"It's an ideal community spot to watch the fireworks from," said Grigg.