I took this video at the city park in Mustang, Oklahoma last night.  This is not a professional fireworks show but rather just a park where people go to set off their own fireworks.  Most of the Oklahoma City metro area has laws against setting off fireworks.  This is unfortunate because our kids do not get to experience the fun that we had as kids on the fourth of July.  Our kids are left with driving 20 miles to the other side of the metro and fighting crowds of thousands of people.  This environment is sort of like going to the state fair with fireworks.  Although there are many police and fire personnel on duty around Mustang, it is a wild and anarchy environment.  Don’t get me wrong… I am not trying to say it is bad because it is not.  We always have fun when going to this park because this wild chaotic fireworks show goes on all day and all night.

This park looked like a land fill with all the debris laying out in the street and grass.  I am sure they have crews that pick it up afterwards.  I know Mustang must make hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax money every year off the sale of fireworks.  I even stopped a a pizza restaurant and the entire parking lot was filled with people setting off fireworks.  This would be a dream for most kids.  I often tell people what it is like but they act like they do not believe me.  You can watch fireworks for hours and not spend a penny.  If you want to set off your own, then there are probably 30 or 40 fireworks stands all around Mustang.  This video does not give true justice to how wild it really is.  The whole city is a cloud of smoke and you can see it coming down Mustang road from I-40.

The down side to this is that it is a bit dangerous.  I was hit twice last night and several times found debris hitting me in the face.  The trick to avoiding this is to stand up wind from the fireworks.  A couple years ago we had a close call.  One of the women that was in our group lit one of the mortar shells and the wind blew over the tube that it was placed.  It pointed right at us and fired under my wife’s chair and then under my car and out the other side before exploding.  As dangerous as it was, it was funny to see the silhouette of bodies diving to get out of the way.  This sort of thing is common place so you need to make sure you roll the windows up on your car.  Three  years ago I saw a Camaro on fire in this park.  We hear ambulance and fire sirens also while out in the park.  I know it sounds crazy to put yourself in this type of environment but you just have to experience it.  Pure anarchy and pure excitement.  This year was not quite as rowdy as previous years simply because of the rain but it was still pretty fun.

All I can say is if you crave excitement, Mustang is the place to go.  I have never seen a professional fireworks show that is this much fun.  The fact that it is going on for hours all around you is just too much fun.  You can turn a 360 degree circle and you will be surrounded by large and small fireworks.  No one will ever try it when I tell them because I don’t think they believe just how crazy it really is.  After going out here six years ago, I have never gone to see another professional show again.  There is usually at least one television station out there just because how crazy it is.  Just prior to leaving to go the the park, I saw some neighbors setting off some shells and someone called the police.  In our neighborhood they are illegal though most people ignore the law.

My dad has a video made in 1978 in this neighborhood that shows what it was like before they were illegal.  People were setting off fireworks all over the neighborhood.  Now it is more sporadic.  I still see them around the neighborhood but not was widespread as before.  There are other suburbs around that also allow fireworks but none of them compare to Mustang.  Next year just go West on I-40 to Mustang Road and then go South until you reach SW 59th Street.  At this point you will not only see the cloud of smoke, you will see the shells flying over the trees.  Just stop at one of the local businesses and sit outside your car.  You will be in awe of the fire power all around you.  I strongly recommend it.