Beech Tree News Network

Since the first Catfish Festival a fireworks show has been one of the signature features of the event. The show has grown from the small shows in the early years of the festival, to the 15-minute affairs of recent years. The technology involved has also evolved from a crew of local ‘experts’ firing the mortars, to modern, computer controlled shows launched by professionals.

Each year the festival’s organizing committee looks for ways to make the fireworks show better. This year the show will not only be set to music, but will also be ‘broadcast’ on the airwaves of Morgantown’s WLBQ 101.5 FM. The station will simulcast the soundtrack for the fireworks show, meaning that anyone that can see the show can also get the full effect by hearing the music on their radio.

Fireworks choreographer Tim Dorris contacted WLBQ in March to propose the partnership for this year’s show. As soon as the soundtrack was finalized he and WLBQ Program Director Joe K. Morris went to work making the final arrangements for the production.

“Tim and I talked a couple of times to see if broadcasting the music, and having it in sync with the show was something we could do,” said Morris. “After a couple of conversations we decided that our new station technology and the system that Tim uses would make it doable.”

Morgantown Mayor Billy Phelps thought of partnering with WLBQ to broadcast the soundtrack after an attempt to set the fireworks to music at the 2015 Catfish Festival.

“We had the show set to music last year, but it was difficult to hear in the park, so I decided to see if there was a way to get it on the radio,” said the Mayor.

Even organizers are also working with the musical acts that will play on the night of July 4th so that people in the park won’t miss a second of the music. The musicians will stop their shows when the five-minute warning sounds, and will play WLBQ’s broadcast of the soundtrack over their PA systems. WLBQ will also have a PA system set up at their booth on the midway to play the soundtrack.

People attending the fireworks at the park are encouraged to bring portable radios, or tune the radios in their cars and trucks to 101.5 WLBQ-FM during the show. Because of internet delays using the WLBQ app won’t allow for the full effect of the broadcast.

“There’s a few-second delay on the app, and that will mean the music won’t be synced-up with the show, so the best way to listen is the old-fashioned way,” said Morris.

The fireworks will begin at dark on the evening of Monday, July 4th. Each year there’s a warning shot five-minutes before the show begins to let viewers know the show is coming up. There will also be a warning shot of sorts on the radio, so that viewers not at the park will be ready.

Morris said, “We’ll be playing some good July 4th music to lead up to the show, and we’ll tell our listeners when the warning shot goes off, because we don’t want anyone to miss this. We’ll pretty much tell folks, ‘it’s time to crank up your radio, because the show is about to start.’”

Nobody will reveal exactly what the music is that makes up the soundtrack, but Morris says he’s sure there’s something for everyone. “There’s something for everyone, from movie soundtracks, to classic rock and country. Tim Dorris did a great job.”

Plans are already underway for next year’s show. Tim Dorris and Joe Morris will work together to make the soundtrack, and Dorris will work to build in new elements to the fireworks show.

“I love fireworks,” said Morris, “I’m as excited as a kid to get to be a part of putting on this show and can’t wait to work with Tim to make next year’s show.”