Brilliant fireworks and family fun are expected to draw more than 24,000 people from Lee’s Summit to the annual Legacy Blast this year. Gates open at 6 p.m., and the approximately 25-minute professional fireworks show starts at 9:30 p.m July 3 at Legacy Park.

“With a history spanning over two decades, Lee’s Summit’s Legacy Blast has become a cornerstone of the community’s Fourth of July celebrations,” said Melissa Pfannenstiel, Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation’s marketing and communications strategist.

Hosted by Parks and Recreation and the city of Lee’s Summit, the free fireworks show is choreographed to music and simulcast on FM-94.9, and also includes concessions, food trucks and DJs. This year’s fireworks celebration will feature additional food trucks, with vendors such as Kona Ice, Shivers, KC Whip, KC Concoctions and KC Mobile Munchies.

Activities planned for children 12 and under will include inflatables, face painting and a balloon artist.

“Legacy Blast is a free family event that has become a cherished tradition for many families,” Pfannenstiel said. “It fosters a sense of community spirit, helps to support local vendors and provides our community with a safe and fun event to celebrate the founding of our great nation.”

Many of those attending the professional display are from Lee’s Summit although the event also attracts people from throughout the metropolitan area and from outlying communities such as Warrensburg and Columbia in Missouri and Lawrence and Topeka in Kansas, she said. Attendance has nearly doubled since the first Legacy Blast in 2008, when around 14,000 people attended.

One aspect of the community event that has remained consistent is the company coordinating the display. Wald & Company and All American Display Fireworks, based in Greenwood, has presented the professional display at Legacy Blast for more than 10 years.

During 2024, Wald is celebrating its own milestone, with the family-owned company achieving 100 years in business. Today, the local business is managed by third- and fourth-generation family members.

The company has performed thousands of shows throughout the Midwest including notable venues such as the Kansas City Spirit Festival, Worlds of Fun, numerous conventions, the Plaza Lighting Ceremony and the Kansas City Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, as well as shows at both Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums.

Although the actual fireworks display is over in less than a half hour, preparation for Legacy Blast takes several months.

“Legacy Blast’s planning process begins immediately following the event, with the bulk of the planning starting in December,” Pfannenstiel said. “Planning encompasses securing the necessary permits, budgeting, selecting fireworks, developing a safety plan, ensuring logistical coordination with fire and police, and finalizing the fireworks display.”

Thanks to the Legacy Park terrain, there’s not a bad seat in the house for the fireworks show.

“Legacy Park’s topography ensures a great view from almost any vantage point,” she added.

For the best experience, Pfannenstiel recommends that attendees arrive early to ensure a parking spot within Legacy Park. Gates open at 6 p.m. and close at 9 p.m. or when the parking lots are full. For the past three years, the size of the crowds resulted in the gates closing before 9 p.m., she said

The rain date for the July 3 event is July 5. Legacy Park is located along Blackwell Road in eastern Lee’s Summit. For more information about Legacy Blast, go here.