Originally scheduled for July 3, $30,000 worth of fireworks lit up the night sky over Anderson on Saturday, Aug. 30, nearly two months late due to thick lung-choking smoke from lightning-caused wild fires and 2,400 firefighters camped out at the Shasta District Fair grounds during the previous holiday.

The wait was worth it, most in attendance agreed after the choreographed finale was nothing more than a pleasant memory. And although the event was held at the apex of an already deadly and very expensive fire season, no spot fires or fireworks caused incidents were reported, said Joe Piccinini, chief of the Anderson Fire Protection District.

"We were very happy. The good Lord was definitely with us," event co-chair Lynn Gilliss commented on the winds that died down shortly after 8:30 p.m. and remained quiet throughout the pyrotechnic display, which ended at approximately 9:30 p.m.

Anderson Police Chief Dale Webb said, judging from the fairgrounds parking lots and the amount of traffic on the side streets surrounding the fairgrounds, that between 10,000 and 15,000 people witnessed the fireworks show put on this year by Pyro Spectaculars North, based at McClellan Air Force Base.

That company purchased all of the contracts and launch tubes from Boom Boom Productions of Hayfork, which had previously put on the show.

"We went up another $5,000 this year, and I could definitely see an increase in both the quality and quantity" of the firework display, said Gilliss, who noted that all of the evening's concessionaires seemed happy with the business that the crowd brought.

"It's tough because we have to raise $50,000 each year to put this event on and we have hardly any outright donations," said Gilliss, who also noted that the owner of the Astro Jump House was "very satisfied" with her patronage.

Beer sales -- a first for the event -- exceeded expectations and did not create any crowd problems, said Gilliss, who initially opposed the sale of alcoholic beverages at the family event.

"We also sold a lot of cotton candy" to the children, she added.