Queen City Fourth of July | Video

Alex Hagan | 7/2/2012

Dickinson is home to the annual Roughrider Days Fair and Expo all the way through the Fourth of July. The fair includes parades, concerts, and all sorts of events. But the Fourth includes two huge activities to wrap up the festivities.

Fireworks stands are getting busier now that the Fourth is only two days away. After much preparation, store owners are glad it`s almost here.

"We all enjoy fireworks but at the same time, it gets to be a pretty hectic 10 weeks. So once it`s over, we save ours for the winter time," said Memory Fireworks Employee Rick Gordon.

The Roughrider Fair and Expo wraps up with two big events, including the fireworks display.

"The fireworks have just been huge every year. Families come out, they either sit down by the grandstands or even in the grass there, and just enjoy it. Roughrider commission puts on a great show for that," said Dickinson Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Terri Thiel.

With that always comes some safety concerns.

"We do a lot of education with how to light them and where to light them, when to light them and what they do, so we try to promote safety as much we can and responsibility," said Gordon.

The Roughrider commission also showcases the annual Sax Motor Demolition Derby.

"We`ll have three different heats. Basically, we got the regular derby, we got the herby derby, and then we have the any car chain gang, which is a new event for us, which is cars just off the street with no modifications to them," said Roughrider Commission President Cory Thompson.

Participants say they are looking forward to the smashup.

"It takes a lot of prep work to get that car ready. You got to take out the whole interior, put the gas tank in the back seat, and chain up doors and bumpers. And all that work is worth that 15 minutes of fun," said derby participant Levi Jordheim.

Dickinson has been busy with the expo for the past month but residents are eagerly awaiting the big event Wednesday night. The Derby starts at 1:00 p.m. and fireworks begin at 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

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