JOINT PUBLIC SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Howell County Sheriff’s Office, West Plains Police Department and West Plains Fire Department, in partnership with Give Local First, are excited to welcome everyone to SkyFire at the Heart of the Ozarks Fairgrounds on Friday, July 3. We ask for your help in making the event safe, enjoyable and memorable for all.
If you’re planning to attend, please review the following information before you arrive:
Parking & Traffic
- Parking opens at 5 p.m.
- Parking is $5 per vehicle. Please have your payment ready upon arrival to help keep traffic moving.
- SkyFire is a “watch from your parking spot” event. Guests are encouraged to enjoy the fireworks from their vehicles or immediately around their parking space.
- The only entrance to the Heart of the Ozarks Fairgrounds will be from Hubert Redburn Drive via McFarland Street.
- There will be NO entrance from or exit onto U.S. Highway 63. Please plan your route accordingly and follow the directions of traffic control personnel.
- No parking is permitted on U.S. Highway 63, along the shoulders of roadways or in a manner that blocks city streets or intersections. Vehicles parked illegally may be ticketed and/or towed.
Event Safety
- Alcohol is not permitted anywhere on the event grounds.
- Expect heavy traffic before and after the fireworks display. Please be patient as everyone arrives and departs.
- Watch for pedestrians, especially children, in parking areas and along nearby roadways.
- Park only in designated parking areas and keep emergency access routes clear at all times.
- If your holiday celebration includes alcohol before or after the event, please designate a sober driver or arrange a safe ride home.
Public Safety Presence
Throughout the evening, troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, deputies with the Howell County Sheriff’s Office, officers with the West Plains Police Department and firefighters with the West Plains Fire Department will be on-site and patrolling the event and surrounding area to help ensure a safe celebration.
If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to approach a public safety official. If you witness suspicious activity or have an emergency, notify the nearest officer or call 911 immediately.
Thank you for helping make SkyFire a safe and enjoyable celebration for everyone. We look forward to seeing you on July 3 and wish you and your family a happy and safe Independence Day weekend.
