SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - No doubt it’s a scorcher out there, but very few are feeling it more than the workers preparing the annual Star Spangled Springfield entertainment for you.

The show must go on, thousands are expected to show up to Riverfront Park on Saturday to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday. But with the sun beating down on the hottest day of the year so far, crews are breaking quite the sweat to make sure it’s worth showing up for.

Crews worked well Thursday afternoon, loading their trailers up with fireworks. They’ll be taken to their launch point at the Memorial Bridge, which will close on Friday night at 11:30 p.m. and tested into Saturday.

Western Mass News spoke with the pyrotechnician in charge of the show, David Van Buskirk, who said while he’s had four decades of experience across the country, this heatwave feels extraordinary, “you’ve got to stay hydrated. It’s very important. And we make sure everybody’s, you know, got water and they’re putting sunscreen on and so forth. But I say this was like 84 degrees, but it felt like it was 184 degrees.”

Van Buskirk also credited the City of Springfield, who he said is working just as hard to make this event one to remember.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday with the fireworks show slated for 9:30 p.m.

But this heat isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Coming up tonight at 6, we’ll hear how the Spirit of Springfield plans to keep you cool and comfortable as you enjoy the show.

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