IDAHO FALLS – The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration, which is the largest Independence Day fireworks show west of the Mississippi River, will return with a bang in 2021 at Snake River Landing after it was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot promises that the 28th Annual Melaleuca Freedom Celebration will be bigger and better than ever with more firepower than has ever been seen before in the state of Idaho. This dazzling display will be held Saturday, July 3, at 10:03 p.m. at Snake River Landing in Idaho Falls.
“It’s time for our community to come back to life, so we’re not only planning to celebrate our nation’s independence but also our American way of life in spite of a virus that has dramatically changed the world,” VanderSloot said. “Once again, the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration will pay tribute to over one million American heroes who gave their lives over the last two and a half centuries to attain and protect our independence from any other nation and the many freedoms that we sometimes take for granted.”
VanderSloot says he cannot predict the future, but he is confident that with vaccines now available throughout the country, Idaho Falls can hold this event in a safe and responsible manner. “After all, it’s an outside event,” he pointed out.
This free production, which honors the sacrifice of our nation’s founding fathers, veterans and soldiers, lasts for 31 adrenaline-filled minutes. The soundtrack inspires patriotism and appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy in America. The program is broadcast live on KLCE Classy 97.3 FM and is synchronized note-for-note and shell-for-shell with the fireworks.
Ball Ventures is hosting this year’s celebration once again at Snake River Landing, which features a 110-acre outdoor amphitheater that was created and designed exclusively for this show. The site provides an opportunity for people to spread out, allowing families plenty of space to social distance.
Idaho Falls is the only city in America with an amphitheater designed specifically for the Independence Day fireworks show.
To ensure the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration remains the largest Independence Day fireworks show west of the Mississippi, Melaleuca monitors other events throughout the country and traditionally increases the show’s budget each year. As a result, the American Pyrotechnics Association recognized the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration as a “must-see Independence Day firework display” in 2017 and 2018, and USA Today, Travel + Leisure magazine, and Yahoo! have featured it as one of the best fireworks displays in America.
“When we canceled the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration last year, I promised that we would return with an even bigger fireworks display than ever before,” VanderSloot said. “I haven’t forgotten that commitment, and I can assure you that this will be an experience that you’ll never forget.”
More information about the 2021 Melaleuca Freedom Celebration will be coming in the next few weeks at Freedomcelebration.com.