Springfield, Missouri’s Firefall Celebration

Firefall is a Springfield, Missouri tradition, where a lowly hay field near the Springfield-Branson National Airport is transformed into a huge patriotic party. More than 70,000 spectators will spend a day listening to local musical groups and top entertainers from nearby Branson. But that’s only the warm-up for Firefall. 

When the sun goes down, the 82-member Springfield Symphony Orchestra takes the stage for a spectacular Concert in the Sky®. Firefall is one of the few choreographed fireworks displays in the country that uses live symphonic music, and it’s been a Springfield tradition since 1982. 

“Ooohs” and “aaahs” are heard throughout the massive crowd of families who plan reunions around Firefall. With bombs bursting in air to the thrilling sounds of a talented live orchestra, Firefall is southwest Missouri ’s biggest, most popular event of the year. 

Firefall History

Firefall ’82 attendance exceeds expectations

Firefall was the brainchild of two friends who had lunch together on a cold, blustery day in February 1982. Charles Bontrager, the Springfield Symphony’s music director/conductor, and Lew Scott, a public relations officer for Southwestern Bell Telephone, thought it would be a great idea to orchestrate a big new event for Springfield – an Independence celebration featuring fireworks and patriotic symphonic music. The pair then hooked up with freelance pyrotechnics expert Dr. Steve Jones, a Drury College biology professor. 

Under the Symphony Association’s umbrella, they got the City’s approval, formed a committee, and gathered enough corporate sponsorships and donations to put on the first Firefall at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds on July 4, 1982 . The organizers expected 5,000 people to show up. 

“The nay-sayers claimed it would never work because ‘Everybody goes to the lake,’” Bontrager said. “They estimated the crowd at 15,000, which completely paralyzed the north side of the city with traffic.” 

Although the fireworks and music show was spectacular, the Firefall committee was completely unprepared for the overflow crowd. There wasn’t enough parking, food, bathroom facilities, or security for the massive crowd. The tuxedo-clad Symphony players nearly melted in the heat. The canons used in Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” were so loud that the Symphony could barely hear themselves play. Cues for manually lighting the fireworks were given using a bullhorn. But despite these difficulties, Firefall was deemed hugely successful, and it seemed destined to become a Springfield tradition.

Firefall ’83 moves to the Airport

The City of Springfield became more heavily involved in Firefall ‘83, when the Firefall committee moved the event to a City-owned field near the Springfield-Branson Regional Airport. The performance area was much larger than the Fairgrounds - about 25 acres, plus parking space for 10,000-12,000 cars.

The Firefall ’83 committee started planning for an expected crowd of 40,000-50,000 people. Electrical cables were buried under the new Firefall site by City Utilities. The committee made plans for everything, including insects, possible fires, adequate numbers of portable toilets and concession stands, staging, lighting, proper amplification, security, first aid stations, and the inevitable parking problems and post-Firefall traffic jams. 

But what the Firefall committee didn’t foresee was a record 4½-inch rainfall the day before the event. The natural sinkhole on the site turned into a small lake that had to be drained, which delayed the show until July 9. But the newspaper headlines the next day read: “Thrills mark Firefall fun despite week’s delay” and “Firefall must go on.” 

Springfield-Greene Park Board takes on Firefall

After Firefall ’83, the Springfield-Greene County Park Board stepped in as the prime organizer. Former parks director Dan Kinney and his committee coordinated the many services provided by the City of Springfield and recruited corporate sponsors to fund Firefall, and media sponsors to promote it. The Park Board recruits Boys and Girls Town kids to clean up the site the following day and rewards them with a summer swimming pass.  Today, Firefall continues its legacy under the direction of Parks Director Jodie Adams.

All kinds of tasty food and non-alcoholic drinks are sold on-site, but people are allowed to bring their own food and coolers. It’s definitely a wholesome family party atmosphere, with people lounging around on chairs and blankets, under tents, and even in the air-conditioned comfort of their RVs. Many people park at (Ozark Empire Fairgrounds) Missouri Entertainment and Event Center on Norton Road and leave the driving to City Utilities shuttle bus drivers.

To keep the crowd comfortable and safe, there are portable toilets, a Lost Kids tent, the American Red Cross First Aid Tent, and a St. Johns Regional Health Center ambulance. Security is provided by the Springfield Police and Fire Departments, Greene County Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Undercover police officers roam the grounds to head off any problems. 

Highlights of past Firefall entertainment 

The Ozark skies are used for much more than exploding rockets at Firefall. Crowds of the past have thrilled to performances of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, hot air balloons, a laser light show, the Freebird Skydiving Team, and antique airplanes. 

Big-name national entertainment and Branson acts have appeared every year. Wayne Newton, The Platters, Tony Orlando, Jay Leno, The Baldknobbers, Rich Little, The Presleys, Yakov Smirnoff, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Deana Carter have all appeared at Firefall.

For those who can’t be there in person, Firefall is broadcast live on area TV and radio stations. These broadcasts bring Firefall to hundreds of thousands of people in Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas.

Since the music is played live, the fireworks are fired electrically, not by computer. “Because we’re synchronizing fireworks to live music, computers are not appropriate. It’s much more challenging, time consuming, and labor intensive in planning and execution to choreograph fireworks to live music,” Jones said.

Firefall exposes symphonic music to the masses

Dana Randall,  former executive director of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, says he was “blown away” by his first Firefall experience. He agrees that choreographing fireworks and live music is complex, but he also thinks it’s a great way to showcase the Symphony to a broad audience – those in attendance and those watching KOLR 10, or listening to the radio.

“In February, the conductor, Ron Spigelman, sits down with Dr. Steve Jones to go over each piece of music and discuss the merits of each piece as it relates to the fireworks,” Randall said. “Dr. Jones then takes an audio cassette of the music and creates effects based on the music he’s hearing in order to have the fireworks enhance the music.”

Why Firefall is a success

So why would 70,000 people brave hot weather, large crowds, and traffic jams to experience Firefall? “The Ozarks is a very patriotic area of the country, and people enjoy displaying their patriotism for America ,” the Symphony’s Dana Randall said. “Families just come out to relax and have a great time. When you look at the TV pictures, it looks like a huge crowd, but the space is so large, you don’t feel confined. There’s so much space that you can bring your lawn chairs and tents and still have room to roam around, even with 60,000 of your closest friends,” Randall laughed.

Lew Scott, who helped originate Firefall, said there’s nothing like being there. “It’s an experience. You’ve got to be there to appreciate it. The Symphony does a beautiful job. I’m very proud of how Firefall has evolved into a Springfield tradition,” he said.

Dan Kinney looks back on years of success. “The talent has been amazing,” Kinney said. “But the most amazing part has been the families themselves, who have now taken this thing and spread it to the rest of their families and centered their reunions around this weekend.” 

Written by Diane Raric