COEUR d’ALENE — The combination of great weather, a long holiday weekend and a massive fireworks display is setting up for a brilliant Fourth of July celebration in Coeur d'Alene.

“It should be a spectacular show this year,” said Dalton Vaughan with Pyro Spectaculars as he and his crew prepared hundreds of shells at Murphy Marine that will be ignited and light up the sky tonight over Lake Coeur d’Alene. 

With shells ranging in size from 2 inches to 12 inches, it’s being billed as the largest Fourth fireworks show yet in Coeur d’Alene, and the finale promises to be like none other, Vaughan said. 

Fireworks will begin being ignited about 10 p.m. near The Coeur d’Alene Resort. An array of explosions and colors will go on for about 20 minutes. The forecast is calling for clear skies.

Idaho Central Credit Union is the presenting sponsor. 

Great viewing points include City Beach, Independence Point, McEuen Park and Tubbs Hill. 

Craig Brosenne, president of the Hagadone Marine Group, said the Fourth of July is a special holiday, so HMG and The Resort were pleased to assist with fundraising for the $50,000 show. 

“We want everyone to have a great time and enjoy the fireworks,” he said. “It’s really going to be a wonderful celebration."

Vaughan and his team started setting the shells in mortars on a barge Tuesday and will wrap things up this morning. It’s a tedious, detailed process that demands precision of attaching electric wires to fuses. 

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s so rewarding,” Rebecca Vaughan, Dalton’s wife, said. 

The barge will be pulled toward The Resort, where it will be stationed for the show.

Dalton Vaughan has been the lead pyrotechnician for this event since 2018 and involved since 2010. He acts as conductor, touching a probe to a number panel that ignites fuses electronically in a prearranged order and sends shells high into the sky. Each shell contains several shots.

"It will be amazing," Vaughan said.

    Craig Brosenne, president of the Hagadone Marine Group, holds up one of the 12-inch shells at Murphy Marine on Wednesday that will be part of tonight's fireworks show over Lake Coeur d'Alene.