John and I joined 50,000 people in the World's Fair Park to celebrate the 4th of July with the 21st Annual Independence Day Concert. We spent a lot of time people watching and listening to some good ole' patriotic American music...well sorta. The symphony entertained with pieces from Copeland, John Williams, Irving Berlin, Tchaikovsky (yep, the 1812 Overture, Op. 49) and Stars and Stripes Forever. About halfway through the 1812 Overture, the heavens sent down a show of their own in the form of lightening. We were concerned that the fireworks would be canceled but as soon as the first rocket exploded, the lightening stopped. This confimed my thoughts of "either play the "1812" to the fireworks or get on with the fireworks!"


Louis Richman, Music Director and Conductor for the Knoxville symphony Orchestra directed the evening performance

Loud bangs and beautiful colors!

A sassy red explosion.

Looks like a daisy to me.

Holiday festive red, gold and white

John says most of the firecrackers look like dandelions...several firecrackers explode creating the bloom as several others shoot into the sky creating the stem.

The beginning of the finale! The end of another great 4th of July with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.