Vienna is just two towns over from where I live. All streets in this crowded Washington DC suburb is restricted to 25 miles per hour. And after a fireworks mishap last year, the town is going with a laser light show.

From WJLA here:

Fireworks are a thing of the past in Vienna as the town replaced them with lasers for 4th of July celebrations after people were hurt in 2007 by a malfunctioning firework.

The switch to lasers has a lot of people upset. Right in front of an elementary school, a gigantic screen will go up for Friday’s laser show, but many residents said they’re not excited to see it, saying the holiday just won’t be the same.

Authorities blamed fireworks made in China for a devastating 2007 accident in Vienna. Eleven people were hurt, two seriously, when rockets ricocheted into a crowd.

But a lot of people are upset since the town tradition dates back at least 40 years. “I’ve seen a laser show. I don’t need to see another one,” resident Mary Suriani.

The Baltimore company’s laser show will cost more than twice as much as the $10,000 fireworks display. The show starts at 9:15 p.m.

Everyone should show up with laser pen lights and shine it into each others’ eyes. Then next year they won’t have a laser light show either. Maybe they will have a slide show in the town square showing photos of fireworks from towns that have the guts to celebrate Independence Day.

To make matters worse, this is how Vienna is going to create the light show:

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