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ST. LOUIS—With the Fourth of July approaching, officials in St. Louis are making their final preparations for an Independence Day exhibition of patriotic, awe-inspiring barge explosions. By loading barges along the city’s banks of the Mississippi River with excess amounts of explosive fireworks, event organizers say the pieces are in place for one of the most beautiful displays of exploding barges the city’s residents and visitors have ever witnessed.

“Certainly, we are hoping this is the year the people of St. Louis will remember forever as the most fun and festive barge explosion show ever,” said Fair St. Louis chairperson Cindy Mapleton. “Of course we could not do this without our hundreds of volunteers, some of whom will be on the barges during the explosions, willing to sacrifice their days off and lives to entertain fairgoers.”

Many who turned out to view the barge explosions at last year’s display were disappointed when the barges failed to burst into spectacularly deadly flames and merely propelled their cargo of explosives into the air.

Clyde Dresden is hoping this year will live up to expectations. “My wife and I took the kids down to the fair last year along with my parents,” said Dresden. “My kids just kept asking where the explosions were. I had promised them horrific tragedy, so they were understandably upset.”

Mapleton assures anyone planning on visiting the riverfront for the barge explosions on either July 3 or July 4 that they will leave with smiles on their faces after viewing one of the most magnificent celebrations of independence in the nation.