Small town tradition: Fireworks a day early

SEBASTOPOL — From Sebastopol to Monte Rio to Windsor, thousands turned out for Friday night’s prelude to the Fourth of July, a preview display of fireworks in small towns that put on a show the night before the big event.

“Every year we stake out the same parking spot, set up the grill and freeze our buns off waiting for 15 minutes of fireworks,” said Raul Gitano, a rural Sebastopol resident.

While hundreds of people gathered at the Analy High School football stadium for the show, Gitano sat upon a platform atop his truck parked near the Sebastopol city corporation yard.

“I see the same show from the street and I cook better hot dogs,” he said.

Meanwhile, the crowd at the sports field began gathering four hours before the fireworks display to enjoy nonstop picnicking and partying. The streets surrounding the high school were littered with makeshift gatherings, even a rock band that set up its equipment to play music that would accompany the fireworks display.

Similar scenes could be found at Monte Rio beach where people gathered, even on rooftops, and at the Windsor Town Green, where local benefactors had stepped in to save the event from extinction.

On Analy High’s football field, somewhere about the 20-yard line, Marisa Sullivan of Graton and her two children were sharing a cooler full of panini, cheese and olives with friends from Bloomfield.

Sullivan said the July 3 event allows her to get her fill of fireworks “before the Fourth so I don’t find the need to get into the mess in the city.”

Several other cities in Sonoma County have fireworks displays planned for this evening, even though cash-strapped city governments had threatened to snuff the fuse on the civic events.