Fireworks show at Westmoreland Fairgrounds raises money for fire departments, fair board

Thousands of people attended a drive-in fireworks show at the Westmoreland Fairgrounds to celebrate Independence Day, donating more than $4,000 to benefit local fire departments and the county fair board.

“It was a big success,” said Jessica Skinner, who helped organize the event with her fiance, Marcus Wisneski. “I think everyone was really pleased.”

Nobody counted the number of attendees, but Skinner estimates there were at least 2,000 cars at the fairgrounds, most with multiple occupants.

The show was free, but donations were encouraged.

Wisneski and Skinner this week donated $750 to each of four fire departments: Hecla, Kecksburg, Mutual and Norvelt, all of which helped with safety at the show.

An additional $1,500 will be donated to the Westmoreland County Fair Board.

Michael Meloy, 2nd assistant chief at Hecla Volunteer Fire Department, helped distribute the checks. He said the money means a lot to departments, especially since they’ve had to cancel their usual fundraisers because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our gun bashes, our bingos, all those things are cancelled,” he said. “So that was huge.”

Wisneski, a licensed pyrotechnician, said he organized the Fourth of July show after many fireworks displays around the region were cancelled because of the virus.

Skinner said many attendees wore red, white and blue to celebrate.

“I really feel like we picked everyone’s spirits back up,” she said.

Meloy, who helped oversee safety and security at the show, said it took about an hour and a half to clear the fairground of traffic after the 25-minute show.

He said he was too busy working at the show to watch much of it, but he heard plenty of rave reviews once it was done.

“The feedback from everybody says it’s amazing,” he said. “Hopefully he does it another time next year.”