A glittering gold butterfly in a red ring. Double red hearts. A silver dragon dancing. Bees. A red coconut tree with crackling tips.
These are just some names of nearly 2,000 aerial fireworks shells that will cruise through the sky across University Parkway from the BYU track and burst into color over the south end zone Saturday night at BYU's Cougar Stadium.A 40-minute intense fireworks production, as well as talent and a concert, await those who attend America's Freedom Festival at Provo's 19th Stadium of Fire production. The Stadium of Fire culminates more than 30 festival events.
Along with fireworks, the Stadium of Fire will also feature the popular 1980s band Huey Lewis & the News and the Flying Elvi.
John Whittaker and his wife, Sheri Whittaker, are co-producing the show. They have been trying to get Huey Lewis for about five years.
Lewis said he is flattered to be involved with the Stadium of Fire. It will be his first time in Provo, but not a first for Utah. He played at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City in the 1980s.
Five of the original six band members will be coming to Provo to perform. Huey Lewis & the News have had many hits, including "The Heart of Rock 'n' Roll," "Doing It All for My Baby," "The Power of Love" and "Stuck With You."
"I've been involved with a lot of shows, but I like the fact that he is so high energy and brings a lot of excitement," said John Whittaker, who has always been a Huey Lewis fan.
The band is expected to release a new CD some time next summer.
Another highlight of the show will be the 10 Flying Elvi. Elvis Presley songs, such as "Don't Be Cruel," "Jail House Rock" and "Hound Dog" will accompany the Flying Elvi.
"We have sky divers every year and this year we thought we would do a change," Sheri Whittaker said. The Utah Chapter of the Flying Elvi appeared in the 1994 movie, "Honeymoon in Vegas."
The night will end with a fireworks production complete with patterns, stars, spirals, Saturns and Jupiters that is 40 percent new from previous years, said Brad Bone, who is in charge of pyrotechnics and from Wichita, Kan. Bone has worked with this event for 14 years.
"On the Fourth of July there are a number of fireworks shows. This one is really the best production - not the biggest, but the best," Bone said. He said what makes it the best is the combination of talent, fireworks and features.
Since last Saturday, Bone and his co-workers have been setting up mortars and prepping repeaters, ground fireworks used to enhance a show. About 2,000 mortars of all different sizes are filling the north end of the BYU track. The aerial fireworks are placed inside them.
The fireworks portion of the show is run by computers, creating a very high accuracy. Last year 99.7 percent of the fireworks went off.
"They'll blow off more fireworks than anywhere in the state of Utah," said Freedom Festival president Ron Clark.
This year's theme for the Stadium of Fire is "United We Stand." One portion of the show will feature American icons of freedom, including the Liberty Bell and the American flag.
"The thing that we are trying to do this year is just explain to everyone that it does not matter what religion you are, or what race or minority you are, that will all stand for one thing and that's our freedom," John Whittaker said. "We are all here for one purpose."
"We hope people always leave with a good feeling," Sheri Whittaker said.
Tickets are available at the BYU Marriott Center ticket office, or by calling 378-BYU1. Prices are $24, $20, $15 and $10.
Because of the Diamond Vision screen in the stadium, "there is really not a bad seat in the house," John Whittaker said.
About 48,000 people will watch the show from inside the stadium, while another 200,000 will watch the fireworks from outside the stadium. But Bone said those outside the stadium will only get to see half of the show.
"A $20 ticket is worth 1,000 bucks of fun," he said.