CITRA, FL (352today.com) – Vehicles had been trickling in for hours, but as sunset approached, traffic began to back up from the entrance to Citra’s Wrigley Fields as visitors rushed to claim the last few parking spots and drag their chairs and blankets through the park.
The music blaring from a PA near Mission Control for the forthcoming fireworks show shifted from classic rock and pop fare to more patriotic selections while folks milled around the various food vendors, glancing anxiously toward the park’s north end as they waited in line for various treats.
While many attendees had already claimed spots near where the fireworks were set to go off, others were spread out throughout the facility–some sat in chairs in pickup beds in the parking lot, while kids threw footballs, kicked soccer balls and dragged trains of glowing necklaces across multiple athletic fields.
(The glowing-necklace people really cleaned up in Citra last night.)
By the time the final strains of Lee Greenwood’s “Proud to Be an American” segued into a brief narration of some of the Declaration of Independence and then the National Anthem around 9:20 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2026, the parking lots were full, police had blocked the entrance to the park and cars were parked along both sides of E. HWY 316 for fifty yards or so. As full night fell, the fireworks show began without preamble.
One of four fireworks shows planned to cap off weeks of patriotic activities celebrating America’s 250th anniversary in Marion County, the Citra spectacle was reportedly toned down at the last minute in deference to the many working horse and other farms in the immediate vicinity after several owners spoke up about the safety of their animals and started an online petition requesting that the show be moved, canceled or cranked back a couple of notches.
It was tough to tell, but the grand finale may have been a bit muted. It was plenty to please the all-American crowd, however, many of whom will doubtless never forget (or quit telling their grandkids about) the day they were there to help the nation turn a quarter of a millennium old.