MARSHALL - Marshall's Fourth of July celebration may be a little smaller this year, but the fireworks show will have a bigger impact, said Doug Goodmund of Marshall Community Services.
"It will be phenomenal," Goodmund said.
Marshall's Fourth of July Festival of Kites will be Saturday at Independence Park.
"We hope lots of people come out, we don't know what to expect," Goodmund said. "We look at it as a family event, and we condensed it a little bit more."
For example, Goodmund said, there will not be a kid's fishing contest Saturday.
"(But) kids can sure go out there and fish," Goodmund said.
The fun will start at 4 p.m., Goodmund said, with the KKCK Music Machine on the stage and the opening of the Lyon County Historical Society food stand.
Then 500 kites will be dispersed at 4:30 p.m., Goodmund said.
"We'll hand them out from the main stage," Goodmund said.
The all-time record for handing out kites was 500 in 17 minutes, Goodmund said. Goodmund said winds about 10 to 15 miles per hour is perfect kite weather, and there will be many different colors and styles of kites.
The Marshall City Band will perform at 7:30 p.m., Goodmund said.
"That's always great about the fourth of July, patriotic (music)," Goodmund said.
Because insurance was getting too high, the Marshall and Ghent Fire Department is bowing out of doing the fireworks display, Goodmund said.
"They alerted us a year and a half ago they wouldn't be able to do this," Goodmund said.
This year, Melrose Pyrotechnics will put on the fireworks, starting at 10:15 p.m. Goodmund said.
"The same company does firework displays in New York and Chicago," Goodmund said. "We do set up a parameter."
That parameter, Goodmund said, is 350 feet from the launch site.
In case of rain, the fireworks show only will be moved to Sunday night, Goodmund said.
Goodmund said he would like to see the festival and fireworks continue for years to come, and hopes there will be more local corporate and private sponsorships to keep it going.
"It is a substantial amount of money to put on the event," Goodmund said.