OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — For the past twenty years the Holiday Lights Festival hosts the New Year's Eve Fireworks Spectacular. This year, the show held a little more meaning than ever before.
"Bringing on the fireworks again this year I think is extra exciting for people, so they can come out and do something a little bit different and also just look forward to a hopeful 2021 and saying goodbye to 2020," said Kylie Vonnahme, project manager.
J&M Designs, the company that puts on the fireworks display, said it's exciting to be able to put a smile on people's faces after such a difficult year.
"We’re just excited to be helping people take 2020 out and bring in 202,"Kerry Holmstrom, fireworks assistant with J&M Design, said. "I think the people they need it. They’ve been, not trapped but in their house for months, working from home and I think this is a nice little breather for them."
The location of the show allows it to be COVID-friendly. Last year the Spectacular had to move to the parking lots of the CHI event center because its old location was under construction.
To ensure everyone's safety, they asked people to watch from their cars.
"It kind of set us up for this year in a way where we have a ton of parking lots where people can park in and view the show from their vehicles. So really the only difference this year is we’re just asking the people if at all possible to stay in their vehicles to stay as safe as possible while watching the show," Vonnahme said.
The theme this year is Everyday Heroes, to honor all the healthcare and frontline workers who have worked hard for the community.
"Every year we do change our theme for the music and everyday heroes was very fitting this year," Vonnahme said.
The show takes months to prepare according to Holmstrom. This one in particular is electronically fired and synced with the music.
"A show that’s choreographed is really something awesome to see and when it’s choreographed to music and everything goes and it’s vibrant, it’s cold, it’s louder, it’s more colorful. It’s just quite a spectacle to see," Holmstrom said.
