Firecracker Fandango

Though many clouds hovered menacingly close by this year's Firecracker Fandango in downtown, hundreds of people defiantly turned out for the annual celebration.

People's reasons for coming to the celebration varied, whether it had been the food, the performances or the fireworks.

"Every year we like to listen to the music or watch Shout Cheerleading," Kelli Flores of Odessa said. "There are a lot of good shows and we love to watch and see who's new."

Among the new acts she saw were Cuts N Cardio, who she said were awesome.

"I'd like to try it out sometime - exercise is so boring, but when they do it, it makes me want to try," Flores said.

Along with Flores were her kids 11-year-old Abby, 8-year-old Anna and 3-year-old Nalito.

"They love coming here. The only bad thing is they want and want and want," she said.

Odessa Rebecca Veandra said she likes to come the Firecracker Fandango because you can't pop your own fireworks in town.

"We went with your kids to jump in the jumper and watch Shout Cheerleading," she said. "We come for the fireworks and for the kids to have fun."

Even some of the performers were having fun at the event.

"It's pretty wild here - there are a lot of good smells, and it's going to be a pretty rockin' night," Audie Grantham, dummer for Since October, said.

Then of course, there was the First Baptist Chancel Choir and Orchestra performing with Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers.

"I'm extremely excited about the performance. I came here to see First Baptist but Larry Gatlin was my second choice," Odessan Vanessa Redman said jokingly.

It was Redman's first time to attend a Firecracker Fandango, and she said she loved it.

"They need to keep it up. It gives people something to do (on the Fourth)," she said.