Red fireworks illuminate the night sky July 4, 2023, at the annual "Shake the Lake" Fourth of July celebration at Wallowa Lake.

JOSEPH — A local businessman determined to see the annual “Shake the Lake” fireworks display happen on Independence Day says the show will go as scheduled, even though on Monday he was still about $4,000 short of covering the cost of the event.

The businessman, Gary Bethscheider, said he would find a way to cover the funding gap in the days remaining before the show, in which fireworks are fired from rafts near the north end of Wallowa Lake. “Shake the Lake” has become a favorite July 4 event for county residents and others traveling to witness the show, with an estimated 5,000 people gathering around the lake — or even on the lake, in boats — to watch.

Bethscheider, who owns the Stubborn Mule Salloon and Steakhouse in Joseph, said the cost of the event has gone up about 7% this year and it now costs about $25,000 for the display. 

On Monday, July 1, he said he had raised about $21,000 thus far. 

Even though he’s still about $4,000 short of covering the costs, he’s collected about $8,000 in donations over the last three weeks or so to close the gap.

He said he’s told the pyrotechnics contractor he’s committed to the full $25,000 and he’s determined that the show go on. 

“We’ll see where it goes,” he said. “Everybody waits until the last day or two. Hopefully it’ll show up.”

Bethscheider has added a new twist to this year’s event: live music. Wicked Mary, a rock band from La Grande, will play from about 6-9 p.m., at the county boat ramp, he said. But that adds about $1,200 to the cost of the event.

Bethscheider said other costs have increased as well since he’s been involved with fundraising for Shake the Lake.

“We’ve doubled the fireworks amount since I’ve taken over,” he said. “But people are broke and don’t have any money.”

Clear skies are forecast for his year’s show, which is expected to begin at about 10 p.m. Thursday’s high temperature is expected to be 82, with a low of 48.

Bethscheider has been spearheading the fireworks fundraising since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused governments to ban gatherings — and to stop funding them — for fear of spreading the disease. 

Bethscheider took up the mantle and raised the money for the fireworks himself.

“It’s my patriotic right; it’s my constitutional right to do it,” he said, adding that at the time he told local governments “you guys can kiss my you-know-what because I’m doing it.”

And he did.

He added that “Shake the Lake” event also provides a big boost to the local economy, with an estimated 5,000 people turning out for the display. This counts locals, visitors, campers, lake-area residents and people who view it from the water in their boats. The north end of the lake by the county boat ramp is generally the preferred venue, though that area becomes quite crowded. Cars overwhelm the area and watchers are urged to carpool.

“They don’t even realize how much money gets brought into this county from the fireworks,” he said, from people who go to restaurants, shops and other businesses. “The money the city and county shells out helps the people in this county.”

Donations to “Shake the Lake” can be dropped off at  Community Bank, the Joseph Chamber of Commerce or the Stubborn Mule in Joseph.