Kaboom Town returns to Addison with fireworks, an air show and live music

One of the largest fireworks shows in the country is happening in North Texas.

Kaboom Town brings fireworks, food, live music and an air show to Addison's Circle Park.

More than half a million people are expected to attend Friday night's sold-out event and air show pilot Mike Gallaway says the event is one of the more fun events he gets to fly in.

What they're saying:

"You get to fly right in the city," Gallaway said. "Oftentimes you fly air shows on the periphery of town, outside of town, but here we're right in the city."

It's a hometown show for Gallaway, who said he got his start as a pilot 30 years ago at Addison's airport.

"I get to fly in front of my friends and family," Gallaway said. "When you get to fly in a hometown, a home game like this, it's a lot of fun."

It's not all fun and games for the air show pilots. Gallaway says Addison presents its own challenges to preparation.

"This is a particularly difficult place to fly aerobatics, and I'll tell you, because you have Southwest Airlines coming in flying at Love Field," he said. "We do have an air boss that is talking to air traffic control but you sort of have to dodge the jets so you have to be careful. You can't go too high, you can't go too low, you got to be just at the right altitude."

Along with Gallway, who flies an Extra 300 SX aerobatic plane, the show will have a B-25, a P-51 and several aerobatic acts. The show will also feature David Martin, a nationally known act who flies a Baron 55. Martin's act is a night act, so Gallaway says he'll fly just before the fireworks begin.

If you have tickets for the show, gates open at 5 p.m. with the show set to begin with the Red River Skydivers at 7 p.m.

If you don't have tickets, several area restaurants are hosting watch parties. You can find a watch party here.