All About the July 3 Fireworks

SAN ANGELO, TX — San Angelo LIVE! presents “A Star-Spangled Banner Concert and Fireworks” on July 3, 2024, at the Bill Aylor, Jr. Memorial RiverStage, 16 E. Avenue A, in downtown San Angelo. The festivities are part of the fourth annual event called A Star-Spangled Banner Concert and Fireworks hosted by Downtown San Angelo, Inc.

The concert headlines the San Angelo Community Band whose members consisting of San Angelo area musicians who will perform the traditional finale of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s The Year 1812, Solemn Overture, Op. 49, popularly known as the 1812 Overture. The sky will explode with fireworks from two firing positions punctuated by cannon fire by Fort Concho’s cannons situated across the Concho River from the RiverStage.

Get VIP tickets for tables and (new this year) Cabanas here >>>

This year’s fireworks display is bigger and better than years past in that we will use both The Celebration Bridge and the Oakes Street Bridge as firing positions. Last year, only the Celebration Bridge was used because the Oakes St. bridge was under construction. The fireworks pyrotechnic artistry will be engineered and designed by Greg “Fly” Schatt. Fly is known for his terrific work at every San Angelo Rodeo performance for the past two decades. Expect fireworks to begin at sunset plus 30 minutes and begins as a Fort Concho cannon positioned in Neff’s Park across the river from the stage fires the first round during the 1812 Overture. On July 3 this year, the official sunset in San Angelo is 8:50 p.m. Thirty minutes later is 9:20 p.m.

Opening for the San Angelo Community Band will be Rita Capuchina & Kevin Collins of San Angelo.

After the fireworks, VIPs at tables and cabanas at the RiverStage will enjoy the music of the local favorite band, Take 2. This band is made up of five San Angelo natives and lifelong musicians who have roots dating back to the West Texas Country Music scene during the 1970s and 1980s such as the bands named Texas Gold, The Swigs, and up and until more recently, Clearwater. All three of these San Angelo bands are considered legendary. Take 2 Band Members:

• Chunky Nelms - Lead Guitarist and Vocalist (The Swigs)
• Dr. Kelly Wilson - Bass Player - keeps control of the band's heartbeat (Texas Gold)
• District Judge Jay Weatherby- Keyboard Player- deep, rich voice to harmonize (Texas Gold)
• Robert Harris - Drummer- keeps the rhythm on the drums (Clearwater)
• Daryl Cates - Electric Guitar- shreds solos (The Swigs)

The after-party will conclude at 11 p.m.

Admission to the RiverStage for general admission is free. VIP seating at tables on the stage floor is available by purchasing a table for 8. This year, up to 20 Cabanas with 12 VIP tickets each are available behind the stage for the best view in the city of the fireworks.

Hotdogs and hamburgers will be grilled with meat supplied by Sklenariks’s Smoked Meats the very popular meat processor in Miles. The VIP section will also feature Sonny Cleere’s Memorial Ice Cream Party. Homemade ice cream will be served from a mobile ice cream maker operated by Arctic N7 Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Company to VIP patrons.

A Star-Spangled Banner Concert and Fireworks on July 3 is presented by San Angelo LIVE! And hosted by Downtown San Angelo, Inc. The entire event will be recorded and rebroadcasted on San Angelo LIVE! YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Downtown businesses and organizations are encouraged to take advantage of the influx of people to downtown on July 3. Gates open at noon and general admission space inside the RiverStage and Neff’s Park across the river from the stage can be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis. Last year, the estimate was that well over 12,000 patrons attended the event.

Among the main sponsors this year are:

• AEP Foundation - Title Sponsor
• The Family of Frank Rose - Fireworks Sponsor
• Shelburne Financial Services - RiverStage Sponsor
• TXP, Inc. & Freeman Pickett - Fireworks Sponsor
• Sendero Drilling - Fireworks Sponsor
• Discover San Angelo - Military & First Responder Hosts
• Suggs Switch Ranch
• Dynasty Wireline Services, LLC - Sonny Cleere's Memorial Ice Cream Party
• Shannon Health - After Party Sponsor
• Ener-Tel - Video Sponsor
• Molson Coors - Beverage Sponsor
• Twisted Tea - Beverage Sponsor
• Modelo - Beverage Sponsor

Sponsorships, cabanas, and tables can be reserved and purchased at Downtown San Angelo (325) 655-2345 or online at Stubwire.