Free fireworks display to be held in Dederick tonight

By Rusty Murry

Nevada Daily Mail

There will be plenty of oohhs and aahhs when Wilbur Charbonneau, owner of Wilbur's Fireworks, holds his annual fireworks display tonight, at his store. one quarter mile west of Dederick. The store is located on the north side of U.S. Highway 54.

Charbonneau, has been been in the fireworks business for more than 40 years and has been selling them at the current location since 1978. He has been putting on the show, which is free and open to the public, for about 15 years.

The show will fire up at 6 p.m., with live music provided by a number of local entertainers. At 9:15 p.m., the display will begin. Featuring some of the newest fireworks on the market, will last about an hour.

With people coming in annually from Texas, California, Oklahoma, and other places, there may be as many as 3,000 spectators at the show.

For those who arrive early, there will be plenty of parking near the store and spectators are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs.

The Walker Fire Department will be on hand for obvious reasons and to sell liquid refreshments, hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, and other snacks as one of their annual fund-raising events. Of course, visitors can bring their own. The Vernon County Ambulance crew will be available for any accidents but also to help with traffic at the end of the evening.

Charbonneau began his show a number of years ago when he shot off the new stuff of the year just to see what it would do. He began inviting friends and the whole thing just got bigger and bigger. Calling it a "rush" Charbonneau said, "Once you get started doing it, It kind of grows on you."

Charbonneau's wife Margaret said, "he puts on the display this early in the summer to kick off the fireworks season." Both said it is one way to repay the community for their patronage. And even though Margaret would like to see Wilbur slow down a bit, he said, "why rest when you can enjoy doing what you do."