2021 Melaleuca Freedom Celebration Returns Bigger Than Ever

Fireworks | Idaho Falls | Snake River Landing

By Idaho Falls Magazine Staff

IDAHO FALLS – The 28th Annual Melaleuca Freedom Celebration—the largest Independence Day fireworks show west of the Mississippi River—will dazzle spectators with a high-flying, ground-shaking, adrenaline-filled fireworks display.

Beginning at 10 p.m. on July 3 at Snake River Landing, Melaleuca will launch over 18,000 brilliant shells into the night sky over the banks of the Snake River in honor of America’s Founding Fathers, veterans, and service members.

Melaleuca CEO Frank VanderSloot announced this year’s Melaleuca Freedom Celebration will have more firepower than Idaho has ever seen. He also salutes Ball Ventures for making it possible for the community to enjoy a remarkable venue at Snake River Landing. Ball Ventures has made Idaho Falls the only city in America with a custom-built area for a world-class fireworks display.

“When we canceled the event last year due to Covid-19, I promised we would return this year with more fire power than ever before,” VanderSloot said. “I haven’t forgotten that commitment, and I can assure you that this will be an experience you’ll never forget.”

Entirely free to the public, the 28th Annual Melaleuca Freedom Celebration has been choreographed to create magical moments, spectacular crescendos, and rare special effects. The event is forecasted to attract an estimated 200,000 spectators to Snake River Landing and the immediate area, making it the largest event in Idaho by a significant margin.

“This show rivals the pyrotechnic giants of Boston, Washington D.C, and Philadelphia, as measured by the sheer number of shells in the air,” said Heather Gobet, a fifth-generation pyrotechnician charged with firing the show. “The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration is regarded as one of the top fireworks shows in the nation.”

The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA), which is the leading fireworks organization, monitors the best fireworks shows across the country. The APA’s executive director, Julie Heckman, made this assessment about the Melaleuca Freedom Celebration:

“Although the 28th Annual Melaleuca Freedom Celebration may be off the beaten path in Idaho Falls, Idaho, it’s worth the effort to behold this remarkable, competition-caliber fireworks show. This is one of the nation’s largest fireworks displays, and it’s appeared twice on the APA’s list of ‘Must-See Independence Day Fireworks Displays.’ … The Melaleuca Freedom Celebration is a must-see Independence Day show for every fireworks aficionado!”