By Brenya Smith
Although Salt Lake”s Red Hot 4th and Stadium of Fire share similar content and are within 100 miles of each other, the festivals do not directly compete, according to event directors.
Red Hot 4th executive director Marla Jensen said the Red Hot 4th is about patriotism and not competition.
Three years ago, Bryce Jolley, executive producer of Red Hot 4th, founded the extravaganza in Salt Lake City. I-15 construction made the trek to Provo from the north increasingly difficult.
Jensen said the Red Hot 4th is not competing for the Stadium of Fire”s audience. The show is for the people in Davis and Salt Lake Counties. Organizers of the festival don”t even advertise in Utah County. Jensen said Jolley wanted to create a “wonderful family event” in Salt Lake.
Ren Allred is the executive director for the American Freedom Festival. He said he agrees that there is no competition. Stadium of Fire sold out last year and is expected to do so again this year.
Allred said the shows are different. “We do our show and it draws a particular audience and they do theirs.”
Stadium of Fire is a fast paced variety show.
“We want the crowd to be an integral part of the program,” Allred said. He said it is not a concert show, but more of a fireworks spectacular.
With over 21 years of tradition behind it, the Stadium of Fire has built a devout fan club.
Provo resident Carol-Lyn Jardine said she and her family have been attending Stadium of Fire since its beginning. Over 25 people in her extended family have a tradition of attending Stadium of Fire every Fourth of July.
“I like having somewhere that has everything all together at once. They have good fireworks and a good show for the whole family,” Jardin said.
Both the Red Hot 4th and Stadium of Fire offer fireworks, skydivers and other patriotic activities. In fact, both shows have been nationally rated.
Last year the Wall Street Journal called the Red Hot 4th fireworks “one of the top ten hometown fireworks displays in the country.”
Allred said National Geographic put Stadium of Fire on its list of things to do during the summer in America.
Both shows claim to be better than last year. Stadium of fire will have the biggest fireworks display in Utah.
Jensen said Red Hot 4th organizers have put more money into this year”s show than last year”s.
Both shows start at 8:00 p.m. and run about 2 1/2 hours. Red Hot 4th is held in the Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah. Stadium of Fire is held in the LaVelle Edwards Stadium at Brigham Young University.
