Orrville’s unique Fourth of July tradition continues

Once upon a time, Orrville’s fire department was in charge of the Fourth of July fireworks display, which now culminates the annual Fire in the Sky softball tournament and weeklong street fair. The OFD, though, found better things to do on the week of the Fire in the Sky and has left the fireworks in good hands.

“We used to have the whole crew oversee it,” Orrville Fire Chief Chris Bishop said. “American Fireworks is doing the show. Back in the day, (firefighters) would be loading the shells, wiring the shells, and we still had the games going on, and we’d be stretched too thin. We’re all getting older. We just couldn’t keep up, especially as this has grown.”

How much has it grown? Bishop tells of the time a couple of years ago when a tech company used special software to track the cellphones of those at the carnival and in the park. More than 36,000 individual cellphones pinged.

Bishop said that number likely represents less than half the number on hand for the fireworks that cap the week.

“We had a fire call last year during things,” Bishop said. “We’re on the engine going on people’s side streets trying to get where we need to go, and there were cars parked everywhere.”

The fire department still plays a role in the fireworks, mostly related to safety and security. Beyond that, they reline and redrag the softball fields after every game, assuring the players get a pristine surface.

“I don’t know that there’s a single tournament anywhere in America (that does that) between every single game,” Tournament Director Paige Summers said. “Some days we’re playing nine games a day, and they’re redoing it every single time. If there’s rain, they’re the ones out there busting their butts getting things ready. No other tournament works as hard as these firefighters do. They do a phenomenal job. It’s really important to them.”

The fireworks still are too. Bishop said the annual display is still very important. It’s caught the eye of some fireworks experts over the years.

“Once, there were a couple older ladies; they were from like Illinois or something,” Bishop said. “Their hobby was they hear about fireworks shows, they drive all over watching them and they rate them. After ours was done, they said it was fabulous.”

Of course, not everyone feels so strongly about the proceedings. Bishop also recounted the time a softball fan was not too pleased to get to Orrville and find a carnival was taking place right next to the tournament.

“This one lady said, ‘What are you people thinking?’” he said. “It was a Friday night at the main diamond, and all the midway lights were on. She said, ‘You’re having that thing go on like this? These girls are here to play softball, and that is a major distraction you have going on down there.’”

Bishop quickly followed that story up by stating the tourney’s motto: It’s the most fun you’ll ever have at a softball tournament.

Summers played in the tournament on her way to becoming an All-Ohio high school softball player while at Dalton High. She assured that no player was going to mind some sights and sounds not normally associated with softball and wouldn’t do it any other way.

“As a player you’re looking around, and it’s all these bright lights and all these people around,” she said. “It makes you feel like you’re in the show. It reminds me of ‘The Sandlot.’ It’s a crazy experience. As a spectator it kind of takes me back. Rides in the background, fireworks, it’s all very exciting.”