Celebrate our independence in grand American style: fireworks, music and Sophia Loren

Friday, June 30, 2000 | 8:39 a.m.

When the Grucci and Zambelli families come to Las Vegas, you can bet there will be fireworks.

Zambelli Internationale and Fireworks by Grucci, both family-owned businesses from the eastern corner of the United States, are two of the oldest and best-known fireworks show producers in the world. Their work will dominate the skies in the days ahead with spectacular explosions timed to music.

The two companies, and a handful of others (including Lantis Fireworks and Laser), will be all over the Southern Nevada map beginning Saturday and continuing through Tuesday -- July 4.

Not all events feature explosive highlights. For entertainers performing in town during the holiday period, see the Sun's Showguide (page 2E) and Out & About (page 3E) sections.

Zambelli press information, emphasizing the tradition of Fourth of July celebrations, quotes future president John Adams when he wrote to his wife, Abigail, on July 3, 1776:

"I am apt to believe that (Independence Day) will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great Anniversary Festival. It ought to solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, bells, guns, bonfires and illuminations (fireworks) from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward and forevermore."

The tradition continues with the following events (the days of the events are marked in bold):

Community shows

Las Vegas: The city, with co-sponsors the Howard Hughes Corp. and the Las Vegas Philharmonic, will hold a "Star-Spangled Spectacular" at Hills Park, 9002 Hillpointe Road, in Summerlin on Tuesday. It will feature appearances by Mayor Oscar Goodman, Senator Richard Bryan, singer Bob Anderson and pianist John Kane. City Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald will perform the National Anthem and other patriotic songs with the Philharmonic, under the direction of Harold Weller and Richard McGee. The orchestra also will play a variety of other musical pieces. Gates open at 5 p.m. and performances begin at 7:30 p.m. The concert will end with a fireworks display at 10 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 5-18 (children under 5 will be admitted free). Concessions will be available. Call 895-2787.

Clark County: The annual "Red, White and Boom" festival at Desert Breeze Park, 8425 Spring Mountain Road, begins at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The evening's entertainment will include the Las Vegas Brass Band, Outasight, Flashback and Epstein's Mother. There also will be family games, sports contests and food for sale. People are encouraged to bring a blanket, a chair and a picnic basket. Admission is free. Call 455-8200.

Henderson: The city's seventh annual celebration will be held Tuesday from 5 to 10 p.m. at Morrell Park, at Harris Street and Major Avenue. The event will feature entertainment by the Henderson Civic Symphony and the Randy Anderson Band. Fireworks will begin at dusk. Activities will include carnival rides, an obstacle course, karaoke and other events. Admission is free, but there are charges for rides and other activities. Call 565-4260.

North Las Vegas: The city will celebrate the Fourth of July on Saturday with the grand opening of its 22-acre Seastrand Park. Activities begin at 4 p.m. with a flyover by U.S. Air Force jets and a community "strolling" parade along the park's walking trail. Events will include a number of youth-oriented clinics, such as tennis and soccer. There will be music, food and booths. Fireworks begin at 9 p.m. The celebration, co-sponsored by Pardee Homes, is free to the public. Call 933-7777.

Mesquite: On Tuesday this town, 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas on Interstate 15, will hold festivities at the Virgin Valley Elementary School park beginning at 5:30 p.m. Among the events will be the annual tug-of-war challenge between the police and fire departments and a corporate tug-of-war by local executives. A ground-fireworks display will be held at 9 p.m. followed by an aerial display at 9:30 p.m. Admission is free. Call 346-8732.

Pahrump: The Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue team will sponsor a full day of activities Tuesday, beginning at 8 a.m. with an annual softball game pitting the Nye County Sheriff's Office against the firefighters. There will be vendors' booths throughout the day at Petrack Park and a fireworks display after dark. Admission is free. Call (775) 727-5658.

Boulder City: The 52nd annual Damboree Celebration takes place on Saturday. Festivities begin at 7 a.m. in Bicentennial Park with a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Rotary Club. A 25-year reunion of former residents will be held in the same park from 4 to 6 p.m. Central Park midway booths will open at 10 a.m. At 11 a.m. there will be a Damboree ceremony and at 11:30 a.m., a band concert. The action moves to the Old Boulder City Airport in the evening, where from 7 to 11 p.m. there will be entertainment by singer Calamity Jane. The fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. Admission to all events is free. Call 293-9256.

Laughlin: The ninth annual "Rockets Over the River" Independence Day fireworks display, to be shot above the Colorado River, will be held Tuesday. More than 16,000 people are expected to watch the 22-minute show sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. The event begins at dark and is free to the public. Call (800) 452-8445.

Casinos celebrate

Stratosphere: A high-altitude fireworks display will begin at 10 p.m. Tuesday. The resort will host several events that will be broadcast live by KXPT 97.1-FM beginning at 3 p.m. The classic rock cover band Minute By Minute will perform in the north parking lot beginning at 8 p.m. Admission is free. Call 380-7777.

Fiesta and Texas Station: The annual "Battle of the Alamo" will begin at 9 p.m. Tuesday at Lake Mead Boulevard and Rancho Drive. The show is free to the public. A party, also free, will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. on the fifth floor of the Texas Station parking garage (guests are encouraged to arrive between 5 and 6 p.m.). Call 631-1000 or 631-7000.

Sunset Station: The hotel-casino will kick off the holiday at 8 p.m. Saturday in its amphitheater with a performance by the band Yellow Brick Road followed by a 20-minute fireworks display and a concert by Joe Walsh, formerly of the Eagles. Tickets are $25, $35 and $50. Call 547-7777.

Venetian: Actress Sophia Loren will kick off the Fourth of July celebration at 11 p.m. Saturday when she pushes a plunger to start a fireworks display to celebrate the holiday and the resort's first year in business. Call 414-1000.

Primm properties: The Fourth of July will be celebrated in Primm this year with three nights of concerts by the Boogie Knights, performing in a Fourth of July Weekend Bash, Saturday through Monday in the Star of the Desert Arena at the Buffalo Bill's hotel-casino. The shows begin at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10. At 9 p.m. Monday a free fireworks display, sponsored by Primadonna Resorts, will explode above the Primm Valley hotel-casino. Call (800) 386-7867.

Hyatt Regency: The resort will hold a Fourth of July Weekend Bash Saturday and Sunday. KQOL 93.1-FM will broadcast live poolside from 6 to 9 p.m. A sock hop, featuring the oldies band the Lively Ones, will begin at 9 p.m. in the Casablanca Showroom. Admission is $10 (with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Travis Dickens Foundation). On Sunday there will be a traditional barbecue. Admission is $19.95 for adults, $9.95 for children 6-14. (Children 5 and under are admitted free). Call 567-1234.

Other events

Art benefit: On Monday the Galerie Lassen art gallery in the Forum Shops at Caesars will have an Independence Day show benefiting the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies and Visual Arts. Harrah's hotel-casino headliner Clint Holmes will perform and host the event, which will include the unveiling of the latest works of internationally acclaimed Christian Riese, who is noted for his marine art. (A percentage of sales made during the show will go to the Academy.) Admission is free. The public show begins at 9 p.m. Call 731-6900.

Las Vegas Stars and Firefighters: The Las Vegas Stars will have a fireworks "doubleheader" to celebrate Independence Day. Saturday's show is in conjunction with the Las Vegas Fire Department. Another will be held Monday. Both days the Stars will play the Salt Lake City Buzz. Game time is 7:05 p.m. Admission is $10, which includes the game and the fireworks display after the game. Call 386-7200.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway: Fireworks will be the finale of races on Saturday and Monday night. Racing will get underway by 7 each night. Gates open at 4 p.m. Saturday, which is Jet Car Night. Admission is $15 for adults and $8 for seniors, military and high school students with identification (children under 12 will be admitted free). On Monday night gates open at 5. The evening will feature NASCAR Late Model competition, Grand American Modifieds and a 30-lap race for Legends cars as well as a demolition derby and an attempt to jump a full-size limousine 150 feet. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and military, and $2 for children 6-12 (children 5 and under will be admitted free). Call 644-4443.

Sun City MacDonald Ranch: Sun City in Henderson will celebrate Tuesday with fireworks, a picnic and entertainment open to the public. The Sonya Lyn Schaefer band will perform at the Desert Willow Golf Course and Driving Range, 2020 W. Horizon Ridge, beginning at 7 p.m. Fireworks begin at 9 p.m. People are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and picnic baskets. Food may be purchased at the Desert Willow restaurant. Admission to the celebration is free. Call 914-4800.

School celebrates: The Robison Community School, 4797 Harris Ave., will celebrate from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday with hot dogs, matchbox-auto races, watermelon seed-spitting contests, homemade root beer and family fun. It is open to the public and there is no admission charge. Call 459-0201.

The Gay and Lesbian Community Center: A celebration will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday with an indoor/outdoor barbecue at the nightclub Keys of Las Vegas, 1000 E. Sahara Ave. A "beer-water-soda bust" will begin at 8 p.m. and entertainment will begin at 11 p.m. The celebration is open to the public. Admission is $5. Call 733-9800.

Fireworks Events

Where: Seastrand Park, North Las Vegas.

When: 9 p.m. Saturday.

Length of show: 20 minutes.

Display by: Fireworks by Grucci.

Cost: Free.

* Where: Sunset Station hotel-casino.

When: Following performance by Yellow Brick Road (showtime is 8 p.m.) Saturday.

Length of show: 20 minutes.

Display by: Fireworks by Grucci.

Cost: Tickets are $25, $35 and $50 (includes performance by Joe Walsh at the amphitheater).

* Where: Venetian hotel-casino.

When: 11 p.m. Saturday.

Length of show: 15 minutes.

Display by: Fireworks by Grucci.

Cost: Free.

* Where: Old Boulder City Airport.

When: 9 p.m. Saturday.

Length of show: 20 minutes.

Display by: Fireworks West Internationale.

Cost: Free.

* Where: Cashman Field.

When: Following the 7:05 p.m. Las Vegas Stars games, Saturday and Monday.

Length of shows: 20-25 minutes.

Display by: Las Vegas Display Fireworks, Inc.

Cost: $10 (includes tickets to the game).

* Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

When: After dark Saturday and Monday.

Length of shows: 15-20 minutes.

Display by: Zambelli Fireworks Internationale.

Cost: Saturday -- $15 for adults, $8 for seniors, military and high school students with identification; children under 12 admitted free; Monday -- $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and military, $2 for children 6 to 12 (children 5 and under admitted free).

* Where: Primadonna Resorts.

When: 9 p.m. Monday.

Length of show: 18 minutes.

Display by: Fireworks by Grucci.

Cost: Free.

* Where: Morrell Park, Henderson.

When: 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Length of show: 20 minutes.

Display by: Fireworks by Grucci.

Cost: Free.

* Where: Hills Park, Summerlin.

When: Following the Las Vegas Philharmonic concert after dark Tuesday.