Eyes will look skyward after an afternoon of fun planned by the CV Fireworks Association at CV High School.

By Mary O’KEEFE

The Crescenta Valley July 4^th fireworks show is back, returning to the CV High School track and field and opening to the public.

The CV fireworks show has been a local tradition for over three decades, started by the CV Chamber of Commerce, but for the last 15 years the event has been produced by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association.

About 2006, the Chamber could no longer sponsor the event. It was assumed that a fireworks display would end in Crescenta Valley; however, a group of residents, including those from Glendale, met at a local restaurant and decided they wanted to continue the annual show. They began to make phone calls to everyone they knew and were able to get the funding for the initial show. Thus the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association was born.

In 2020 the show was canceled due to the pandemic; in 2021 the fireworks show was adjusted to abide by COVID-19 restrictions. The CVHS field was not open to the public, but the pyrotechnics crew was able to shoot the fireworks very high in the sky allowing people to see them from their homes and by parking along nearby streets.

This year the CVHS track and field will once again host an audience. There will be food trucks, inflatable toys for kids and music.

“It’s at CV [high school] – same as we always did,” said Steve Pierce, member of the CV Fireworks Assn.

The fireworks show as it is now was created by La Cañada Flintridge resident Chuck Hughes, who built the fireworks firing system and designed the show, said Robert “Hutch” Hutchins in a previous interview with CVW. Hutchins is the pyrotechnic technician who has headed up the CV fireworks display since 2000. “[Hughes] asked me to step in,” Hutch said of his involvement with the show after the former technician was unable to continue spearheading the show.

Hutch has a volunteer staff of between 30 and 50 people.

“Normally, on a show like this, you would have a few days of setup but with a big crew we will show up on the fourth [of July],” Hutchins said.

Glendale Unified School District does have some rules that need to be followed while on the track and field. These include no food eaten on the field and no chairs that have post legs can be used on the field. Lawn chairs or beach type chairs that have rounded legs can be used.

There will be a security company at the event and bags will be checked when people enter. Coolers that contain only water are allowed; no alcohol and no drinks other than water will be allowed onto the field.

The food trucks will be parked along Ramsdell Avenue. A food court seating area will be in the parking lot next to the field accessible from Ramsdell Avenue.

Parking at the school is a fundraiser for CVHS Prom Plus Club with a per car parking space charge of $5. The funds will go toward Prom Plus and Prom Plus Club. For information on Prom Plus please visit www.promplus.org.

Presale tickets for the fireworks display are on sale now; presale adult tickets are $9 per ticket; children 7 years and younger are free. Presale tickets can be purchased at J’s Maintenance, 3550 Foothill Blvd., Bob Smith Toyota, 3333 Foothill Blvd., CV Insurance, 3156 Foothill Blvd., the CV Chamber office, 3131 Foothill Blvd. ‘D’ and the offices of CV Weekly, 3800 La Crescenta Ave., Ste. 206.

On the day of the event, tickets can be purchased for $10 per ticket; there is no charge for children 7 years and younger.

“It’s a good deal,” Pierce said.

Though most prices are increasing, the CV Fireworks Assn. wanted to keep tickets affordable for this family-friendly event.

The Mary Dyer Band will be performing from 6 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Fireworks are scheduled to begin about 9 p.m.

Gates open at 4 p.m. The entrance is at the CVHS track and field in the 4300 block of Ramsdell Avenue. Paid parking is located at the southeast corner of Ramsdell and Community avenues.

CV Fireworks Association is a non-profit organization that pays for the event by fundraising. Those who would like to donate can do so by visiting its website at www.cvfireworks.com or using the donation envelope included with this week’s CV Weekly.

This is a large event that requires a lot of volunteers. CV Fireworks Association is looking for volunteers to help with setup and take down on the Fourth of July. Anyone who can and would like to volunteer can contact Steve Pierce at (818) 259-5195.