It was just as vendors and entertainment were getting set up at Jackson Flat Reservoir on the afternoon of July 24, that a sudden cloudburst brought torrents of rain and lightning down on the Kanab area. The rain and the heat made for a groggy and humid day, and things weren’t looking good for the Pioneer Day events; that afternoon, an Everbridge announcement went out from the County declaring that some shows would be canceled and others delayed.
From left to right:
The music played on well past sundown - ‘til it was time for the fireworks. Photo courtesy of Ali Adib.
There was still plenty of fun to be had even after the rain closed down some of the event’s entertainment. Photo by Ty Gant.
Attendance was slim around 7 p.m., as the rain died down and the shows picked back up, but things kicked back off soon after. Photo by Ty Gant.
As the clouds departed, the show got a beautiful sunset backdrop. Photo by Ty Gant.
Testing the safety of the entertainment is of utmost importance to the Water Conservancy District board and staff. Photo courtesy of Amanda Buhler, KCWCD.
Then the clouds rolled by, and the sun came back out just in time for a phenomenal sunset show. In stark contrast with the day, the evening was dry and clear, with just a touch of humidity and a cool breeze, and with the backdrop of the orange glow of the sun off Kanab’s plateaus, the show did indeed go on! According to one of the County’s organizing staff, “No surprise there wasn’t a lot of people here for the music and food … but word must have gotten out okay, because attendance for the fireworks was as good as we could’ve hoped for! And maybe it’s a little muddy, but that just means no dust.”
The evening concluded with the scheduled fireworks show, right on time. As mentioned above, the attendance was nothing to scoff at - though not quite as visible as it may have been at similar events, since many of the attendees simply watched the show from within the comfort of their parked vehicles.
In contrast with the July 4 Independence Day celebration, no reports have come in of fire hazards due to the fireworks - perhaps another boon of the sodden afternoon - and while the traffic on the way out from the Jackson Flat Reservoir was slow and halting, there were no major incidents or impacts.
Kane County and the Water Conservancy District extend their thanks to all those who attended, as well as those who made the event happen through organization or participation in vending or entertainment.
