PROVO, Utah — It was a packed house at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo at Friday night’s Stadium of Fire. Attendees were excited to come back to an event that is a tradition to be at.
Eunice Lane and her friends were decked out in their best Fourth of July outfits and accessories. "We're Filipino Americans, so proud to be living in Utah," Lane said.
The Stadium of Fire is something they look forward to every year. "To see the people we know, we give them magazines and stuff like that, and then we picnic before we come in, it’s a party and we dance during concert,” Lane added.
They were here last year. "We were sitting on the top and we saw some little fires going on by the stage, and we didn’t know what was going on,” Lane recalled.
A firework malfunction injured 27 people. "I hope everything will be fine tonight,” Lane said, before the event.
Organizers with America’s Freedom Festival said they are not using that whistle-type firework this year and are working with a different firework company. It hasn’t stopped
people like the Armstrongs from being at an event they love.
"Just the atmosphere, the entertainment, if it’s a group that we want to see like Rascal Flatts, it’s a little more of a draw,” said Craig Armstrong. “Just nice to get out and enjoy,” added Cathy Armstrong.
Before the gates opened, people hung out at the tailgate event on the street, celebrating what this day means to them.
"From the revolution right on up to present day, there's a lot of people who’ve given everything they’ve got so that we can come out here and do this,” said Craig.
