Flagstaff Prepares for July 4th Celebrations

Flagstaff, Arizona – The July 4th festivities are already in full swing in the highlands. There will be fireworks shows in Winslow and Williams on Friday, while Prescott gears up for one of its biggest parades on Saturday.

Yet, due to fire restrictions, Flagstaff will not have fireworks this year. Instead, the city is set to debut its first-ever drone show.

The significance of July 4th is particularly pronounced in Flagstaff, as it marks the day the city was founded. Even before dawn on Friday, downtown Flagstaff was bustling with activity.

Ryan Randazzo from Discover Flagstaff noted that holidays hold greater importance for the community, given their historical connection to the town’s founding.

“In 1876, a group of travelers from Boston stripped the branches off a ponderosa pine and raised the flag on July 4th to commemorate our nation’s centennial,” Randazzo explained. “The name Flagstaff has stayed ever since.”

Fast forward nearly 150 years, and the town is ready to celebrate with a variety of events, including the parade.

Eric Anderson and his son, Ezra, made the journey from Abu Dhabi to participate in the festivities with family. “We’re really making an effort to see family,” Eric shared. “It’s incredible to reconnect with my cousin, my aunt, and my mom. It feels so, so good.”

While fireworks are absent this year, partly due to stage 2 fire restrictions in both Flagstaff and the Coconino National Forest, the city aims to enhance the celebration with its inaugural drone show.

“The 350 drones will create patriotic images and visuals representing Flagstaff,” Randazzo remarked.

For additional details about the drone show and other events over the holiday weekend, check out Discover Flagstaff.