Every year quaint little Lake McDonald in the Renton Highlands lights up in celebration for our countries independence. A combination of multiple familys setting off fireworks all around the lake makes for a fantastic un-choreographed show that lights up the lake. Familys begin lighting off their own set of fireworks before the sky even becomes dark and the festivites last until at least midnight. Each family seems to try to out do each other with their fireworks in a friendly competition of who can put on the best lightshow. There are no jeers thrown between families just clapping and cheering can be heared across the lake because though it is a competition it is all good spiritied and light hearted.
There are over ten groups that set off fireworks and even more just around the lake to watch and to my knowledge no one has ever been seriously injured.
My family is one of the many that gathers every year to watch and join in the friendly competition. We start off our day by participating in a family softball game that ends with one team having bragging rights for the next year over the other. After the game it is time to head back towards our own homes to clean up and prepare for the evenings events. Around 3:00 in the afternoon people begin to show up at a cabin on the end of the lake owned by some family memebers. We enjoy the rest of the afternoon by eating, socializing, and playing all sorts of traditional family games with eachother. Then around 8:00 pm people all over the lake begin to light off their fireworks. It is my understand that our family has been gathering at the same place and the same time for over 30 years and is likely to continue for many more years to come.