1776 Tickets. Big Prizes. Keep Fireworks Over Cody on the Fourth.

When it comes to Fourth of July celebrations, Cody doesn’t do anything halfway.

Extreme Bulls, the PRCA Cody Stampede Rodeo, three separate parades, and a fireworks finale make this one of the most packed Independence Day weekends anywhere in the West. Behind every piece of that celebration is a team of people working to make it happen. The Cody Fireworks Committee is a part of that team. This group stepped in when the fireworks nearly went dark for good and has kept them burning ever since.

This Year’s Raffle

The Committee’s raffle fundraiser only has 1776 tickets available. Tickets are $20 each or six for $100. Every ticket sold comes with a bonus. Buy one ticket and get a 17.76% discount on 20 rounds with the Gatling Gun at Cody Firearms Experience. Buy 6 tickets, and the discount jumps to 50%.

There’s also a winner’s choice twist on the top two prizes: if the grand prize winner would rather take second or third prize, they can. The second winner drawn can also choose between what’s still available.

This year’s prizes:

Grand Prize: Cody Firearms Experience | Christensen Evoke 7mm PRC with Vortex Viper HD Scope, HD 2000 Range Finder, 2 boxes of ammo, bi-pod already installed and a carrying case ($3,000 value)
Second Prize: Haskell Furniture and Flooring | Living Room Makeover ($1,500 value)
Third Prize: Sunlight Sports | Gift Card ($1,000 value)

Tickets are available at:

• Cody Firearms Experience
• Haskell Furniture and Flooring
• Park County Travel Council (Cody/Yellowstone, next to Tossers Pizza)
• The Chamber of Commerce
• The Buffalo Bill Village Gift Shop (Holiday Inn/Blair Hotels)
• Grape & Grain Market and Lounge
• Janet Jones of Cody Journal usually has some ready to sell

Pint Nights and Charity Bingo

Other businesses have jumped in to lend a hand with events that raise funds to help keep the skies lit on the Fourth.

• Head to Grape & Grain on Mondays for their Charity Bingo nights that will benefit the Fireworks Committee.
• Buy a pint at Cody Craft Brewing. They have also stepped up to the plate by brewing a special Two Fifty Pale Ale. One dollar from each pint sold will go to the 250th Celebration.

Why This Celebration Runs Deep

Most towns celebrate for one day and call it good. Cody’s relationship with the Fourth of July goes back to the man the town was named for. In 1882, Buffalo Bill staged his “Old Glory Blowout” in North Platte, Nebraska, an event widely credited as a founding moment for the sport of rodeo. The following year, he launched Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, cementing a legacy that the town of Cody carries forward every summer through the Stampede Rodeo and Extreme Bulls. The 4th of July Parade draws a tremendous number of entries each year, a testament to the patriotic traditions here.

That legacy is part of what motivates the people behind the fireworks. As committee chair Quin Blair put it: “It is undeniable that Cody was Buffalo Bill’s home, and he would be proud to see us carry forward and preserve the traditions of the American West, not least the celebration of our nation’s independence on the 4th of July.”

How the Fireworks Almost Disappeared

The fireworks display is far from guaranteed. Being community funded means that each year the funds must be raised in order to light up the sky.  For years, the Cody Skylighters ran the show, but a 2017 supplier policy change left the nonprofit unable to meet federal regulations, forcing them to step back. With no replacement in sight, the fireworks were on life support.

Brittania McNair and Quin Blair founded the Cody Fireworks Committee in December 2022 with the mission to keep Cody’s Fourth of July fireworks alive. When the Cody Chamber could no longer carry the show forward, Brittania and Quin say they stepped up because they believed the next generation deserves the same pride, and wonder they grew up with.

Today, the show is powered by strong support from the Park County Travel Council, the City of Cody, the Shoshone Recreation District, the Cody Chamber, local businesses, and countless community members. The long-term goal is to build a fundraising foundation strong enough to keep Cody’s fireworks lighting up the sky for generations.

How You Can Help

Every ticket sold keeps the sky lit this July. If you want to buy tickets, please buy generously. If you can help with sales or would like to make a direct donation, contact Quin Blair at 307-272-9014.

When the shells go up over Cody this Fourth of July, know that you’re watching the results of a community that finds a way forward when there’s something worth preserving.

This article is proudly sponsored by