Thousands of people watched fireworks launch into the sky Monday night at Crescenta Valley High School during the 10th annual Fourth of July celebration organized by volunteers who are part of the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Assn.
Unlike recent years, attendees watched the show on the track and field at the high school instead of at La Crescenta Elementary School, where construction of a new classroom building led to the change in venue.
However, Crescenta Valley High School’s rubberized track and turf field, unlike La Crescenta Elementary School’s asphalt playground, required the fireworks association make some adjustments in planning to minimize damage to the field.
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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A girl dressed in the USA colors enjoys the evening at the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Pat Wagner of Norwalk tries to take a photo of her grandson David Wagner, 22 months of L.A., at the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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A variety of bounce houses were available at the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Susana Rinderle, of Glendale, right, and Bob Drew of Arcadia, left, enjoyed the music by the Stinky Felix band at the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Myles Soza, 6 of Glendale, got his face painted with a Captain America logo at the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Two-year old Rocco Cram walks with patriotic-colored balloons at the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Congressman Adam Schiff, right, posed for a photo with L.A. County supervisor Michael Antonovich, second from right, and Antonovich’s wife Christine Hu and son, Michael Jr., left, at the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Lindsey Mansis of Sunland wore her patriotic socks and shoes to the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Stella Brymer, 3 of Lake View Terrace, enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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People of all ages enjoyed the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
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Congressman Adam Schiff, who was instrumental in bringing Noelan Taylor-Aguilera to the USA from his birth country Senegal, hugs the 3-year old boy who now lives with adoptive parents in La Crescenta, at the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks display at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta on Monday, July 4, 2016. The event, held by the Crescenta Valley Fireworks Association, included food trucks, bounce houses for kids, face painting, music and about a half-hour of show which included 3,684 individual fireworks. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
The association couldn’t have any carnival rides this year, and other than water, attendees couldn’t eat or drink on the field.
Johanna Aquino arrived early in the past for the rides, and she came to the event soon after it began at 4 p.m. on Monday only to learn there weren’t rides this year. However, even without them, she said she looked forward to the show with several of her family members.
“It’s a nice firework show,” she said. “I told everybody to come.”
Instead of kiddie rides, the association brought in several inflatable slides and offered activities for children, including face painting.
Several food trucks parked along Ramsdell Avenue, selling items such as tacos, crepes, sausages, grilled cheese sandwiches and French fries.
Heath Burrell served customers inside the Slammin’ Sliders truck, while his wife, Latoyna Wilson, sat with their 9-month-old daughter, Aries Wilson Burrell, nearby.
“It’s her first fireworks,” he said of his daughter. “Since I had to work, I just brought them with me.”
A variety of bounce houses were available at the 10th annual Crescenta Valley Fourth of July celebration at Crescenta Valley High School on Monday, July 4, 2016.
(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)
A crew of 12 Crescenta Valley High School students arrived at 10 a.m. to haul tables and chairs from a truck to a parking lot, where guests could eat.
Among the students were seniors Brandon Budwig and Alex Khazhakyan, who planned to work after the show finished to load the tables and chairs back into the truck and pick up trash on the field.
“We’re in charge of cleaning up,” Khazhakyan said.
The fireworks association plans for the event year-round, and fundraising is a big part of it.
“Each year, it gets a little bigger and better,” said Jean Maluccio, an association member.
Putting on the fireworks display cost about $47,000 this year, she added.
The association receives donations from Los Angeles County and the city of Glendale to put on the event.
Also, residents pitched in about $7,000 this year.
“It’s important to them, and it helps us. We just try to make enough to have enough left over to get into the next year,” Maluccio said.
Kelly Corrigan is a former News Desk multiplatform editor for the Los Angeles Times. For several years, she covered education for the Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader, winning John Swett awards for her education coverage in 2016 and 2017. She is a graduate of Cal State San Marcos and the Missouri School of Journalism.
