Boomsday was an annual

fireworks Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices ...

celebration that took place on Labor Day weekend in

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state' ...

. It was the largest Labor Day firework show in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, and was considered a top attraction in the region. The event was held on

Volunteer Landing Volunteer Landing is a public park and riverwalk along the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is below the Gay Street Bridge. History The location of the park is the site of the Treaty of Holston. In 1988, a 50-member waterfront tas ...

and accompanied by live music and festivities. Boomsday's firework display attracted over 325,000 spectators every year. Fireworks were set off from the

Henley Street Bridge The Henley Bridge, sometimes referred to as Henley Street Bridge, is a vehicle bridge that crosses the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Completed in 1931, the bridgeMartha Carver, ''Tennessee's Survey Report for Historic H ...

(to a lesser extent Baptist Hospital and the

Gay Street Bridge The Gay Street Bridge is a vehicle bridge that crosses the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Completed in 1898, the bridgeMartha Carver, ''Tennessee's Survey Report for Historic Highway Bridges: Pre-1946 Masonry Arch, Timbe ...

) and spectators could view the show from the riverfront, hillsides, or on boats from the

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other name ...

. In 2006, Boomsday was expanded to a three-day event lasting through Labor Day weekend, causing Knoxville to lose money, and the city reverted to the one-day event in 2007. The fireworks display was choreographed to music with one such selection being Madonna's Lucky Star in which all the bursts were star shaped. The Tennessee Volunteer's fight song with the bursts being the team's colors bursting in front of

Neyland Stadium Neyland Stadium ( ), is a sports stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. It serves primarily as the home of the Tennessee Volunteers football team, but is also used to host large conventions and has been a site for several National Foot ...

was always a perennial crowd pleaser. Other musical selections included Smoke on the Water from Deep Purple, the theme from Jaws, and Born to Be Wild from Steppenwolf, just to name a few. The "waterfall" on the Henley Street Bridge marked the second half of the show. In July 2015, organizers announced that 2015 would be the final Boomsday, stating that the city loses approximately $100,000 per year hosting the event.

Gallery

Image:Boomsday 2007.jpg, View from Calhoun's, 2007 Image:Boomsday 2007 .jpg, Orange and white, colors of the

Tennessee Volunteers The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the 20 male and female varsity intercollegiate athletics programs that represent the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Volunteers compete in Division I of the National Collegi ...

Image:Boomdsday 2008.jpg, "Waterfall" from the Henley Street Bridge Image:Boomdsday 2008 .jpg, Waterfall with extra bursts Image:Boomsday 2008.jpg, 2008 Image:Boomsday 2008 Pro 1 (Medium).jpg, Grand Finale, 2008

References

External links

Official siteBoomsday Knoxville
{{coord, 35.957, N, 83.918, W, type:event, display=title Festivals in Tennessee Culture of Knoxville, Tennessee Tourist attractions in Knoxville, Tennessee