Fireworks fly at City Beach

The city's annual Fourth of July fireworks display at City Beach will start around 10:30 p.m. Jack Cross, a professional pyrotechnician from Polson, is coming back to put on the display.

Whitefish Shines, which organizes both the City Beach fireworks display and the downtown Christmas lights, bought a new barge for handling the explosives in 2007, which is towed out to the middle of the lake for the show.

Jim Trout, of Whitefish Shines, said this year's show will not be as big as in 2007, as economic difficulties have affected donations. His group has raised about $10,000 for the display.

Eagle Transit will run a free shuttle bus to City Beach from the O'Shaughnessy starting at 5:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. Music by Tim Torgerson will begin in the gazebo at 7:30 p.m.

All events are free and open to the public. The City Beach concession stand will be open, and half a dozen vendors will be on hand selling food.

The city of Whitefish allows the sale, possession and discharge of legal fireworks from July 2 and July 4. Lighting fireworks is only allowed in Whitefish between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. on those three days. Additionally, they can only be sold between noon and 8 p.m.

Whitefish forbids the use of fireworks in all city parks (including City Beach), public roadways (including alleys), by minors, and near gas stations. Violators of the Whitefish ordinance could face as long as six months in jail and a $500 fine.

Fireworks use is also prohibited on National Forest lands. There are fewer restrictions on fireworks on the Flathead and Blackfeet Indian reservations.

Anyone possessing a sparkler bomb could be arrested for possession of an explosive device. Sky rockets, M-80s, Roman candles and bottle rockets are banned throughout most of the state.