Celebrating the 4th of July in Adelanto, CA

The decision of where to go for the 4th of July has always been something that my family and I have thought of as a serious one. Each and every year, we discuss the possibilities, as well as the crossed fingers that the place will be good. We have had some years where we have picked duds, yes, but time and time again, we always turn back to the place we love the next year: The Mavericks Stadium in Adelanto, CA.

This place is truly at the top of our list. Inside of the Mavericks Stadium, you can sit in the stands with your hot dog and soda to watch two baseball teams go at it, or you can pick a place in the sloped grass to sit so that once the game is over, you have a good view of the fireworks above. This may sound ideal for some, but for my family and I, it fails in comparison to the fun happening outside of the stadium.

Lined up for miles on the dirt, on either side of the street, vehicles are parked, with many blasting music from their rolled down windows. Many bring coolers and chairs to sit down on, while others bring blankets to lay down in the back of their trucks to watch the fireworks when they come.

Perhaps the best of it all is the constant parade of smaller fireworks bought from the stands that litter nearly every corner as you reach the stadium. Whistlers, flowers, smoke bombs, and snakes are among the favorites, however, there can be an occasional larger firework that may go off from your neighbors Toyota.

Each year my family and I come to Mavericks, and sometimes we have newcomers with us, and other times it's just us. We will join in the fun of lighting our own fireworks bought from the stands, but other times we will just sit in the back of our vehicle snacking on what we brought and watching the others. While the cheers from inside of the stadium are great, the cheers on the streets are far greater as, together, strangers indulge in the fun

Once the fun has ended, as well as the game inside of the stadium, the real fireworks begin. Laying down on the blanket we brought, my family and I enjoy the real display, and chatter our own sounds of delight and amazement with the countless other people around us making us sound like a chorus. The fireworks are always beautiful, and rarely does a bad one show up. It's when it's finally over that the sorrow begins, when we finally have to make our way back home only to wait another full year to do it again.

This is what my family and I do on 4th of July, and while one year we may pick another place to try out, we always say that "next year we're going to Mavericks." That day is truly a joy. The Maverick's Stadium in Adelanto, CA is one of those rare places, where many can come to enjoy the holiday together as a whole. It's the unity of it that makes the Fourth of July what it is.