This year marked Loren and Kathryn Murray’s first time coming from their home in Camano Island to see Arlington’s fireworks show.

“Our son is a reserve police officer in Arlington, and he’s been telling us for the past several years that we’ve been missing a pretty spectacular show,” Kathryn Murray said. “We thought we’d try it tonight, especially with such nice weather.”

The Murrays’ son recommended the Arlington fireworks show to his parents based on its display and “relaxing crowd,” something that his father appreciated.

“We’ve done the Seattle thing and fought traffic for hours afterward,” Loren Murray said. “We wanted something a little different this year, without the big crowds.”

William Frankhouser of Arlington has only been married “a few years,” and the Arlington Fourth of July Festival, including the fireworks show, has been a family tradition for three of those years.

The fireworks show marks the conclusion of each year’s Frankhouser family celebration of the Fourth of July, which begins with a barbecue at home, followed by a trip to the Grand Parade.

“I like that they keep it local,” Frankhouser said of the Grand Parade. “Sometimes it’s a little eccentric, but it’s fun to see the John Deere tractors and all the little kids running around.”

Frankhouser is a member of the Arlington-Smokey Point Chamber of Commerce, and donated $50 toward this year’s fireworks show through the Chamber.

“I enjoy that Arlington puts the money and volunteers into putting together a family event for everyone,” Frankhouser said.

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