Lovers will see fireworks at Kitsap Mall

Oohs and aahs will fill the night air, and Kitsap Mall will be alight in the glow of fireworks, during a special Valentine’s Day program on Sunday, Feb. 10.

The “Fireworks for Lovers” show begins at 6:30 p.m.

“We thought it would be a nice way to celebrate Valentine’s Day,” Kitsap Mall marketing manager Stacey Ames said. “This is something fun and different. They’re supposed to have an exciting show and we wanted to be the first to have it.”

Ames said the fireworks will be launched from the mall’s north parking lot, no matter what the weather brings. The best viewing locations will be near Meryvn’s, between the Bon Marché and J.C. Penny’s.

The 11-minute program is the brainchild of J. Larry Mattingly, vice president of sales and marketing for Olympia-based Entertainment Fireworks Inc. The company does an average of 300 shows a year all over the West Coast.

“I noticed there wasn’t a lot of fireworks shows going on in February, especially in the Northwest,” Mattingly said. “So we developed the program over the years with the hope to put on an entertaining show and showcase some of our products to the people on the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas.

“We’re going to use some small shells, but it’s not going to be a small display.”

Pyrotechnics fans can expect to see a variety of colors and effects, although Mattingly said the show’s length was kept short intentionally.

“You never know what the weather is going to be like,” he said, “that’s why we don’t want to do a 25-minute show. We want to entertain people, not make them miserable.”

Ames said if the show is a success, the mall could host additional programs later in the year.

A Kitsap County radio station, KITZ 1400 AM, will broadcast a special program at 6 p.m. with Sandy Wyse reading love letters submitted to the station.

Along with the fireworks, KITZ will broadcast a compilation of love songs and romantic music prepared especially for the show.

“That way people can sit in their cars and enjoy the music without having to face the elements,” KITZ marketing director Russ Nichols said.

Love letters can be dropped off at the Kitsap Mall information desk through 4 p.m. Sunday, or can be posted to KITZ’s Web site, www.kitz1400.com.

“We’re just looking for little love letters and notes of affection because we only have an hour to read them,” Nichols said.

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