This weekend we went to a convention and a reunion. Sound lively to you? Make you want to hitch up your RV and come with us? No? Well, this convention was the annual Western Pyrotechnics convention and Fireworks show. And the reunion was the annual Rockabilly Reunion and Car show. Now, that sounds better, doesn’t it? Now, that’s a reason to get excited and want to drop whatever you’re doing and get on over here.
And, thousands of people did just that, they flocked to Lake Havasu just as we did for President’s Day weekend where we could see both the Convention and the Reunion. We had planned this stop back in June of 2013 when I made my reservation for the State Park in Lake Havasu. And that was probably none too early given the number of RV’s that were staying in their overflow area over the weekend. Outside of the Lake Havasu City Limits, there were RV’s out on the desert on every flat piece of ground around, the local RV campgrounds were filled and RV’s were heading both north and south through town. Those heading south must have wondered what those heading north knew that they didn’t and vice versa. That’s the thing about RV’s - someone’s always going in the opposite direction.
So, here’s a bit of history to set the stage for the show this evening. The Western Pyrotechnics Association is a group of professional fireworks manufacturers and companies who want to test their new creations, meet with others in the profession, train new people in the techniques, certify these new people and also, by the way, sell some fireworks to all the cities and towns in the US and abroad who need fireworks for celebrations. Thus this is a trade show, school, meeting for the Association and it makes for spectacular entertainment for the rest of us. Back in the 1990, they needed a place to do this and chose Lake Havasu which had a race track outside of town to do this safely, lots of people, an airport, lots of hotels and restaurants and is a fun place to be. But, it is also desert and, when you are setting off fires, being on the desert is a definite plus.
Then the people of Lake Havasu flocked to the show, followed by many others who heard what a great show it was. And, now it is an event like no other and draws hundreds of thousands to Lake Havasu City over Presidents Day.
Now, there is also the annual Rockabilly Reunion. Whereas the fireworks is all about ‘hot’, the Rockabilly Reunion is all about ‘cool.’ Cool cars, cool chicks, cool cats, cool music and cold beer. On Wednesday, Gary and I took a hike (what a surprise) through our campground and wound up at the parking lot where the Reunion started on Friday. We saw some of the car show ‘cars’ in the parking lot. Look at these babies. Want a ride in this 3-level dune buggie with the steering wheel on the top row?
Why couldn’t Wells Fargo have had a stagecoach like this when I worked for them?
Check out this one. Gary’s thinkin’ we need to replace our Jeep with this little baby.
And, these were all for sale. Yes, you too, can have one of these little gems. Street legal? I don’t know about that but I'm sure they are driveway legal - and wouldn’t they look great there?
We then walked around town a bit before heading back to our RV to get ready to go to the fireworks. We got there about 5:00, parked, found a good spot to sit and waited. Luckily, there were lots of others there waiting with us so we had a good time chatting about RV’s, places to visit, roads to take, etc. You, know, RV talk. The schedule was for ‘open firing’ from 6:00 to 7:30, the show put on by the companies who put on shows at the Super Bowl, the Olympics, etc. from 7:30 to 8:30 and more ‘open firing’ after that.
Now, I’ve seen fireworks since I was knee-high to a flea in all the towns I’ve lived in and more. You know, where they set up one or two fireworks at a time, maybe three. Then, at the end, for the finale, they set up 5 minutes of continuous fireworks. We all ooh, ahh and clap and wait for next year. Well, this is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It is part barrage, part choreographed dance in the skies, part bombast and part artistry. And, all done to music. It was awesome. At times, my peripheral vision could not take it all in. I think that there must be a lot of competition among those in the Association to see who can make the audience ooh and ahh the most. Or, make each other ooh and ahh the most.
And a great time was had by all in the audience.
Home to shower and relax.
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