Mystery of area Fourth celebration on 3rd solved

Every year, dean jordan celebrates the Fourth of July with fireworks and music at a community gathering that draws thousands in Gainesville to rooftops and street corners to get the best view of the show.

Every year, he wonders why Gainesville's annual Fanfares and Fireworks, by all measures a traditional Fourth of July celebration, bucks tradition with its annual July 3 schedule.

"It has always bugged me," said jordan, whose name is legally all lowercase letters. "I mean, what, do we get the cut-rate fireworks display? Do they give us a discount because their real show is the next night in Orlando or something?"

Sue Wagner, director of communications for event sponsors WUFT, Channel 5 and 89.1 FM, said it's true it's easier to line up fireworks vendors the night before the main event in other cities. But that's not why Gainesville's major Independence Day celebration is always held the night before the actual holiday.

When Fanfares and Fireworks first started about 18 years ago, it shared the spotlight with an Independence Day celebration held on the Fourth of July sponsored by the city of Gainesville. Fanfares and Fireworks established itself as being held on July 3 to avoid competing for attendees.

"We marketed it as an 'Independence Day Eve' celebration, which people seemed to understand and enjoy," Wagner said.

Even after the city stopped holding its own event and became a sponsor of Fanfares and Fireworks instead, "We'd had so much success holding it on the third, we decided to keep going," Wagner said.

Wagner said jordan's question comes up every summer.

"Everyone thinks it's someone's birthday, or some other special occasion," Wagner said. "But there's no real scientific approach or mystique to it."

Wagner said despite the annual questions, the event's popularity proves Gainesville is more than happy to celebrate the Fourth on the third.

"People have come to see it as a kickoff to the weekend, and something that lets them enjoy other celebrations in places like High Springs or Micanopy or Cedar Key the next day," Wagner said. "This year, there were people picnicking on the grass, people dancing to the music, people all over campus - there were 15,000 to 20,000 people, including people on top of the parking garages and hotel roofs. It's a great night for the community."