Off and on for more than a decade, Black Hills visitors and residents alike have celebrated the Independence Day holiday with fireworks at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. In 2002, the fireworks had to be suspended due to extremely dry conditions and increased fire danger.

The fireworks display has been suspended again this year due to an outbreak of bark beetles that has compromised fragile trees at Mount Rushmore and in the surrounding forest. Earlier this year the National Park Service made the decision to suspend the fireworks display for 2010, in hopes of bringing it back in future years.

Although fireworks will not be present, there is an impressive lineup of events at Mount Rushmore this July 3 and 4, in honor of the holiday. The schedule is still being finalized, but the events will focus on talent from the Black Hills region and visitors can expect a wide variety of programs, patriotic tributes and musical entertainment.

Among the events scheduled for Saturday, July 3 at Mount Rushmore:

• The Porcupine Singers – traditional Lakota singers and drum group from Porcupine, South Dakota
• Military swearing-in ceremony
• B-1 bomber flyovers – 28th Bomb Wing from Ellsworth Air Force Base
• Year of Unity Speaker – Gerard Baker, National Park Service Assistant Director of American Indian Relations and former Superintendent of Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• National Park Service Junior Ranger Ceremony
• Presidential re-enactors – theater areas and among the crowd
• Phil Baker – children’s musical entertainer
• World Champion hoop dancer Jasmine Pickner
• Flute player Sequoia Crosswhite
• Black Hills Symphony Orchestra
• Veterans’ Recognition & the evening sculpture lighting ceremony

On Sunday, July 4, entertainer Phil Baker will again be performing and the presidential re-enactors will be roaming the crowd for a second day. Independence Day at Mount Rushmore National Memorial will conclude with the impressive veterans’ recognition ceremony and lighting of the sculpture.

The two day celebration has been designed to allow for a normal flow of visitors through the memorial grounds and the staff at Mount Rushmore looks forward to celebrating Independence Day 2010 with visitors from near and far.

Other communities in the Black Hills region that will still be having a fireworks display include: Custer, Belle Fourche and Lead.