Fireworks Over The Matanzas

This morning, Historic City News was provided the program for St. Augustine’s great July 4th tradition; Fireworks Over The Matanzas.

6:00pm – Concert by the 13th Army Band
8:30pm – Traffic detours begin
9:30pm – Fireworks!

Holidays are built around traditions and few holidays have more great family traditions than the Fourth of July: great food, outdoor band concerts, a day with friends and family, and of course, fireworks! They all come together in a grand celebration of Independence Day and there’s no better place to celebrate Independence Day than in the Nation’s Oldest City.

First, there’s music

Starting at 6:00pm the City of St. Augustine will welcome the 13th Army Band to the Plaza de la Constitucion for a concert with traditional patriotic favorites and popular pieces appropriate for Independence Day.

Serving the State of Florida, the nation, and local communities since 1906, the citizen-soldiers of the 13th Army Band is today one of the 71 Reserve bands stationed throughout the United States. As the official military band of Florida, unit members have enjoyed performing for many official State functions, such as the Governor’s Inauguration, official visits of United States dignitaries including the President of the United States, and numerous foreign leaders. The band has performed throughout the southern United States, Dominican Republic, Panama, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Morocco for all branches of the Armed Forces and State Department.

In times of disaster, the band has supported the needs of local communities in multiple roles, including providing relief supplies from the Florida Keys to Palm Beach during Hurricane Wilma for the residents of South Florida. The 13th Army Band provides music for all occasions with eight distinctive ensembles. Band members are citizen-soldiers who serve their communities as students, teachers, administrators, clerks, police officers and any other role you find in every community. What makes them unique is their service to their country as soldier’s whose military mission is music.

Those attending the concert will want to bring lounge chairs for seating.

Then there’s fireworks!

Fireworks over the Matanzas, the highlight of July 4 in St. Augustine, has become synonymous with celebrating Independence Day in the Nation’s Oldest City. The spectacular aerial display of pyrotechnics high over Matanzas Bay begins at 9:30pm.

The 20-minute display has been tightly choreographed to a stirring soundtrack of great popular music delivered over an extensive sound system transforming the entire Bayfront between the Castillo de San Marcos and the Temporary Bridge of Lions into a theatre of sight and sound.

Local radio stations WFOY/1240-AM and Sunny 94.1/WSOS-FM and will provide simulcasts of the soundtrack so those viewing the display from any location will be able to fully experience Fireworks Over The Matanzas.