Payson Roundup

With several east Valley fireworks shows canceled and a bigger, longer and improved show planned this year in Payson, town officials are expecting a huge turnout for Fourth of July weekend.

Get ready to be patient if you plan to drive to the fireworks show in Green Valley Park because more than 10,000 people are expected to show up.

The Rim Country Visitor Center reported Wednesday that most hotels in town are already booked and the U.S. Forest Service said campgrounds are quickly filling up.

Last year almost 10,000 people crammed Main Street to catch the 25-minute fireworks show in Green Valley Park and Cameron Davis, with the Payson Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, said he expects this year’s crowd to be even bigger.

“Because it’s on a Saturday and the fact that so many Valley cities and towns around the state have canceled their shows and we are right smack in the middle of the state and 90 minutes from everywhere, we should see a big turnout,” Davis said. “How big, we don’t yet know.”

Due to additional funding from the water department and sanitary district, Davis said the fireworks show should be at least 12 minutes longer and pack a bigger punch.

Without funding from the two departments, the show would not have gone on, he said.

“We greatly appreciate their support,” he said.

The visitor center reported it has already received dozens of calls from Valley residents inquiring about the show.

Marty Putmam, visitor center manager, said most hotels are already booked up.

Stephanie Creasy with the Best Western confirmed they only had a few smoking rooms available. It is normal for the hotel to sell out on busy holiday weekends, she said.

Last year, they sold out three nights during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The Forest Service said they had no way of knowing if the campgrounds were already full, because reservations are done by an outside company, but they expect it to be a busy weekend especially at the first-come, first-served campgrounds where it pays to arrive early.

To combat the large crowds, Davis urged visitors and residents to utilize the shuttle service to the park.

A free shuttle bus from the Payson High School parking lot to the park will start at 5:30 p.m.

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