The city of Ocala hosted its inaugural Independence Day celebration on Thursday, capping off the night with a drone show that was watched in awe by thousands of people in attendance at Tuscawilla Park.
After several hours of live entertainment, some of which was postponed due to inclement weather, the much-anticipated drone show took flight just a few minutes after 9:30 p.m.
The drones were staged at the tennis courts at the park, with thousands of visitors lined up along the lakeside to catch a glimpse of the show.
As they took off, the Ocala Symphony Orchestra played in sync with the drones.
During a livestream broadcast by Ocala-News.com, each formation could be seen lighting up the entire sky, visible for blocks around the park.
In the days leading up to the event, city officials touted the one-of-a-kind show as being a safer alternative to traditional fireworks.
On Tuesday, Ocala City Council president Barry Mansfield mentioned that when the city first began discussing the celebration, officials advised against a fireworks display for safety reasons.
“Being a horse community, you know, everybody says the fireworks bother the horses,” said Mansfield. “We all thought it would be a better idea to go with [a drone show].”
Did you attend Thursday night’s drone show at Tuscawilla Park? Share your experiences with us in a comment below or send us a letter to the editor.
