COEUR d’ALENE — Sunday’s Fourth of July fireworks display over Lake Coeur d’Alene is expected to be the best yet.

“It’s going to be a big, exciting show,” said Dalton Vaughan with Pyro Spectaculars.

Vaughan and team were loading a barge with hundreds of mortars on Friday at Murphy Marine. They’ll spend much of today and Sunday wiring up the explosives that will send fireworks flying high.

The barge will head out about 8 and take up its post on Lake Coeur d’Alene well off Tubbs Hill. The estimated 20-minute show being funded by the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber is set to begin at dusk.

Craig Brosenne, president of the Hagadone Marine Group, said the Hagadone family made a substantial donation to the display in honor of Duane Hagadone, who passed away earlier this year. As a result, this will be Coeur d’Alene’s largest Fourth of July fireworks show ever, he added, triple its usual size.

He said Duane Hagadone, founder of the Hagadone Corporation, loved fireworks.

“Brad Hagadone came up with the idea to honor his father by having a special shoot this year because we didn’t have one last year,” Brosenne said.

The mortars range from 3 to 12 inches. Hundreds of shells — each containing multiple shots — will send fireworks high, exploding into an array of colors and shapes.

”It’s going to be spectacular this year," Brosenne said.

Vaughn has been involved with the fireworks show since 2005 and will be in charge of the computerized display. His uncle, Rich Vaughan, owns Pyro Spectaculars.

Fireworks are sent on their way via a probe touched to a numbered firing panel.

“Every time you touch one of these, it shoots the next shot,” Dalton Vaughan said as he pointed to the panel. “It’s all shot electronically.”

There’s artistry to it. Dalton Vaughan acts as the conductor, signaling an employee when it's time to light each shell, leading to a symphony of dramatic explosions.

“Once they start to blow, I’ll send up another one,” Vaughan said.

The finale promises to be amazing. Even a veteran like Vaughan is looking forward to it.

“It’s tons of fun,” he said. “You just kind of hit the buttons as fast as you can."

Dalton Vaughan’s 4-year-old son, Marshall, watched his father at work Friday and even joined him at times, helping where he could.

When asked if he planned to learn how to put on a fireworks show like his dad, Marshall nodded.

“When I get a little bit older,” he said.

Brosenne said the Hagadone family was pleased to contribute to the Independence Day display and hopes the community enjoys it.

“Mr. Hagadone loved fireworks,” Brosenne said.
 "Everybody knew that. Our Holidays in Lights program, every year he challenged us to have a better fireworks program, so Brad and Todd and family came up with the idea to make the Coeur d'Alene shoot spectacular this year and make it something really special."

The annual fireworks display is funded by the Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber. Contributions to the community fireworks fund are welcome at cdachamber.com.