Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show Facing Backlash For Pyro Show

The Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Show is one of the most popular events that take place in Southwest Michigan every year. Drawing thousands of people from around the state, it really is an awesome way to spend the Fourth of July weekend watching flyovers and hot air balloons and enjoying the nice weather.

A portion of the show that they have done before is facing substantial amounts of controversy and backlash, which is the Pyro show. There have been hundreds of comments on social media, giving a lot of pushback and flack to the event for ending the show with massive amounts of pyrotechnics. But what was all the controversy about?

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Let’s break it down and provide some info that was made clear by the Battle Creek Field in Flight Airshow Facebook page in their response to the complaints:

The Pyro Show Was Never Properly Announced

We had announced this on Facebook (and know that not everyone gets that) and all other proper channels were notified to spread the word. Due to the crowding (specifically on the carnival side of the field) a lot of cellular networks weren’t working, so no one would’ve been able to even see the Facebook updates from there. This is the area where many people couldn’t hear either because of all of the noise from the carnival. Noted there.

This Was In Bad Taste After Chris Darnell Died Last Year

The Pyro had nothing to do with that. That was over-sensationalized and the first thing the media could run with. It was a freak accident due to a blown tire. We miss Chris every day, but the truck didn’t “blow up”, the fire just ignited due to a fuel line rupture. The Pyro itself was very far away from the truck at the time (per the required safety parameters which are always followed). Please stop comparing and relating the two.

You Put People In Danger

We assure you, you’re completely safe with this show! We have licensed pyrotechnicians with decades of experience and some who are also veterans that produce our shows. You’re in more danger at home when a neighbor, who more than likely is not licensed, is launching numerous fireworks.

Be Prepared For Next Year

All in all, there are some people who just didn't get the memo about the Pyro show happening at the end of the night, which I personally feel should be made very clear rather than saying "fireworks galore" will be happening at the end of the show. Some people were saying they or someone in their family have PTSD from military time and had they brought them it would have been ugly.

Regardless, this event has never been a quiet event and things like the pyro show are not a new thing for this event. The best thing you can do is follow the page, watch for all announcements going forward, and always ask event coordinators at the show about the full details of the event.