Laurel's annual Fourth of July celebration has been one of Montana's largest fireworks displays, and with the nation marking its 250th birthday, organizers say this year's show could be bigger than ever.
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Firefighters set up large shell canisters Friday for the event, giving everything a close look ahead of the celebration.
An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people come to Laurel each year for the festivities. In the late 1990s, the Montana Highway Patrol estimated attendance at 50,000 for one of the events.
Captain K.C. Bieber of the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department serves as the Fourth of July event chairman.
"We have a very large veteran community here," Bieber said. "There's a very strong tie to the history and the past, and we are proud of what we have built and what we've accomplished. We're very proud of what our nation does."
Businesses throughout Laurel also contribute to the Independence Day celebration, including the Palace Bar and Lanes.
"A lot of people have sacrificed everything so that the rest of us can enjoy the freedom that we have today," owner Jeff Link said.
Link owns the bar, which has about a 40-year tradition of a street dance the day before Independence Day.
A couple of bands, including The Repeat Offenders and Rhino Skin, will perform on Colorado Avenue, drawing class reunions and others celebrating America.
"It's that small town effect," said Link. "And then their fireworks are so great. I think it just started getting bigger and bigger and bigger."
In Billings, after five years at MetraPark, Harvest Church's Celebrate Freedom event is back at Castle Rock Park for the second year.
Lynae Gilbert is the director of Celebrate Freedom, which features the only large fireworks show in Billings.
"It has that nice family feel," Gilbert said. "Kids can run and play in the grass. There's a splash pad in the playground, and it's a beautiful park. "The idea here is to serve our community, to love our community, and of course to celebrate our country and our religious freedom."
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