Finally, a sport that doesn’t disappoint.

With the all of the bad sports news around our region in the last few weeks, I was hoping to take in some of the time-honored tradition of Independence Day: blowing stuff up.

With the Sonics all but gone, the Mariners playing like a Class A team and the Seahawks still months away, it seemed like the perfect time for a little distraction. And honestly, who doesn’t like to blow stuff up?

So to celebrate our 232nd year of Independence, I went to the Bellevue Downtown Park to take in the Bellevue Symetra Family 4th. Because that’s what founding fathers would have wanted: for us to over-indulge in food, drinks and bouncy toys. But, I digress from my point – this was the perfect remedy for the weary sports fan.

Once the Willits clan found an open spot of grass in the park, which wasn’t easy, the only task left was to defend our territory fiercely until the fireworks began nearly two hours later.

It wasn’t easy, but we managed to hold down our 4-foot-by-5-foot spot despite the best efforts of small children, late-coming families and even over-eager senior citizens until the Bellevue Philharmonic began to play.

On another point, the Seahawks may want to scout that event next season, if they’re looking for some offensive lineman. The best blocks I’ve seen in a long time where thrown by surly mothers defending their blankets from all outside forces. Some of them were even wearing eye-black.

Soon enough it was 10 and the fireworks display began while the Philharmonic played.

I’ve been to many a 4th of July celebration and come away disappointed.

This one rocked.

And rocked.

And rocked some more.

Every time I thought the display was over, it kept going, kept getting louder and kept getting brighter. Finally, what seemed like 30 minutes after it began, the grand finale fireworks went off, causing a pandemonium of cheers and a cascade of crying children.

This was no little light show. Bellevue went all out for the Fourth. Kudos to those running the show and giving the people in that park a fireworks show that they won’t soon forget.