Light up the night: Tens of thousands expected at Fire Over the Fox July 4

Downtown Green Bay is getting ready to light up the night sky on July 4, weather permitting. The Independence Day celebration is one of the biggest events of the year.

• Watch a previous fireworks display over the Fox River
• Festivities start at 3 p.m. Thursday
• The fireworks show begins at 9:45 p.m.
• If the fireworks display is canceled due to rain, On Broadway, Inc. will post updates on social media

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)

Downtown Green Bay is getting ready to light up the night sky on the Fourth of July. I'm Pari Apostolakos here with what's planned for the biggest event of the summer.

The Fox River is relatively quiet Wednesday afternoon, but that will all change on the Fourth of July.

Mary Rhode of On Broadway, Inc. says this year's free Fire Over the Fox festivities start at 3 p.m. Thursday and the fireworks show begins at 9:45 p.m.

"We have well over 15 food trucks, we have six stages of live entertainment, we have the Waterboard Warriors water ski show that takes place beginning at 4 o'clock," Rhode said. "Plenty of fun to be had throughout the day."

She says they're expecting tens of thousands of people to attend.

"It's an event that draws people locally but we've also had a lot of interest in our VIP seating from [people] in Florida, Illinois, Iowa," Rhode said.

Jeremy Ellis won VIP tickets to the event on the radio while driving to work Wednesday morning.

"Normally we're up north, but this year we're in town so we were planning on going anyways. So, it worked out great," Ellis said at the Farmer's Market on Broadway Wednesday afternoon. "Happy Fourth of July and celebrate our nation's history. Cheers!"

The chance for thunderstorms could, literally, put a damper on the festivities. Rhode says it wouldn't be the first time.

"Should weather cause us to cancel the fireworks show [you'll] hear about it on social media ," she said. "But, we're just going to cross our fingers and hope that the weather is going to hold off and it's going to be as beautiful a day as it is today."

If you haven't had your fill of fireworks Thursday, Pulaski will have a show to kick off their Polka Days festival later this month and Howard has a celebration planned for Labor Day weekend. In Green Bay Pari Apostolakos NBC 26.