AUSTIN, Texas — It was the place to be in Austin on the Fourth of July: Vic Mathias Shores near Lady Bird Lake.
Tens of thousands of people packed the park Thursday afternoon to celebrate Independence Day.
Nearly 40 vendors – from games to a grilled cheese bar – kept the large crowds busy in anticipation of the night's entertainment.
PHOTOS: Fourth of July celebration at Vic Mathias Shores
The night of fun began about 8:30 p.m. when the Austin Symphony Orchestra took the stage as part of its 43rd annual Fourth of July performance.
About an hour later, the fireworks display lit up the downtown skyline, leaving many families in awe of its bright colors and loud pops.
People from all over Texas and the country traveled to Austin to celebrate the Fourth of July -- and explore the capital city.
"We're staying right across the street and we saw everyone setting up and it looked epic, so we had to come check it out," Lauren Graf, who traveled from Flagstaff, Arizona, to celebrate her anniversary, told KVUE. "Fireworks in Austin, Texas, we figured was going to be the biggest event ever. So we had to do it up."
Maria Carlos drove from the Bryan-College Station area to get another glimpse of the popular fireworks display.
"We've been here before and loved it then, so we came back again," she said. "It's awesome. The wonderful city. Everything that y'all offer here. It's just the bonding the community has."
Don Heimbach, who traveled from The Woodlands, told KVUE he and his family wanted to enjoy the fireworks show while appreciating our country.
"It's a good opportunity to remind ourselves where we live and to be thankful for what we have," Heimbach said.
in 2018, more than 100,000 attended the fireworks show, according to Austin Police. Attendance numbers for 2019 were not immediately available.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: