City of Pittsburgh’s Independence Day celebration returns to Point State Park

PITTSBURGH — The City of Pittsburgh’s Independence Day celebration returned to Point State Park on Monday.

The festivities included music, food, fun and fireworks. Zambelli’s Fireworks provided the fireworks show, which began at 9:35 p.m. Guests could watch in person by securing a spot on the lawn at Point State Park, or from home on WPXI.

Attendees who spoke with Channel 11 News said they planned for days to get to the Point early to secure a spot.

And while guests planned for days, George Zambelli, owner and CEO of Zambelli’s Fireworks said his crew and designers planned for the show for nearly a year.

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“[Our] team of designers and choreographers collectively started July 6 of this year for next year, come up with new ideas, new tableaus, new pattern shell,” said Zambelli. He added, “This year’s show will be interesting.”

Zambelli said the company does more than 800 shows for the Fourth of July holiday but said Pittsburgh’s show is always special, because they save some extra magic for the place they call home.

And with three massive barges filled with mortars, six technicians have worked tirelessly through the weekend to coordinate and prepare. The show will feature 1,500 effects with about 2,000 shells.

Channel 11 News spoke with attendees, some planning to watch from Point State Park with others opting to watch from home, either on WPXI or from their windows.

“We are going to a friend who works on the North Side: they have a rooftop patio at his work so we are going to go catch the fireworks from the North Side. I love fireworks,” said Lorien Hart.

While Charmaine Harris, said she will likely watch from home, she was still excited to enjoy the daytime festivities.

“I am super excited because it is one of those things that say it’s summertime in Pittsburgh, when you can come down to the Point for festivals […] I am here with my niece who is here for the summer. She got to see the Point and try Rita’s for the first time, so it was like perfect timing to come down to visit Pittsburgh,” said Harris.

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