Texas A&M system chancellor John Sharp announces the July 4th fireworks show will return to the RELLIS campus next year.
That follows the success of Saturday’s night presentation and the determination that fireworks won’t interfere with the Army Futures Command’s combat development center, which will open in 2021.
Sharp reported the drive in event took up 3,100 parking spaces, generating an estimated crowd of 10,000.
The chancellor was told the fireworks vendor reported the music app for the show was downloaded more than 53,000 times. There was a computer server crash before the show, but it was operating before the start of the fireworks.
Co-sponsors of the event included WTAW, which provided music.
From the Texas A&M System:
Drive-In Fireworks at RELLIS will return next year for another Fourth of July celebration, thanks to the success of Saturday night’s show at the Bryan campus.
An estimated audience of 10,000 people, taking 3,100 parking spaces, witnessed the fireworks show live. Hundreds of more vehicles had to be turned away because they arrived as the fireworks started. They watched from the sides of Highway 47 and Texas 21.
KBTX also televised the show, while WTAW broadcast the music synced to the fireworks.
The fireworks vendor reported that the music app was downloaded more than 53,000 times, crashing the server before the show. Fortunately, the server was up and running before the 9:15 p.m. start of the fireworks.
The event was co-sponsored by The Texas A&M University System, the Chancellor Century Council, KBTX-TV, WTAW radio, the city of Bryan, and The Eagle. With more than 2,100 acres and lots of parking, the Drive-In Fireworks Show was able to accommodate a large crowd despite COVID-19 by parking vehicles in every-other space.
“After countless emails asking to do it again, it looks like we have started a new tradition,” said Chancellor John Sharp with The Texas A&M University System. “The biggest fireworks show in the Brazos Valley will just have to get bigger and better next year.”
Chancellor Sharp thanked the co-sponsors for making the event a success.
By next year’s July 4th celebration, the Army Futures Command will be opening its George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex at the RELLIS Campus. Chancellor Sharp said it has been determined that a fireworks show won’t interfere with the U.S. Army’s facilities behind the security fence at RELLIS.