EAST HELENA — Snap, crackle, boom.

The smell of gunpowder wafted through this normally quiet town Friday evening as residents gathered their families for barbecues, often holding miniature fireworks shows on the street while they waited for the big show, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10010.

The pop of bottle rockets and the rat-tat-tat of firecrackers grew more prevalent as the evening darkened. At times, explosions big and small seemed to pepper every bit of sky.

Thunderstorms threatened, but the celebration went on.

Children were obviously excited by all the noise and the color, but all knew Independence Day honors “our country’s birthday,” as 5-year-old Derrick Kirkland said.

Carly White, 5, sported red, white and blue toenails, and her 6-year-old brother Reed had red, white and blue fingernails.

Their father, Ron White, said he makes sure to remind his children about the reason for the holiday.

“It’s not like we talk about independence all day, but that’s the point of the red, white and blue,” he said. “People tend to forget what it’s all about, which I think is pretty sad. We’ve had it so easy for so long that I think people have forgotten why it’s incredible that we have our independence and so many other nations don’t.”

U.S. Army veteran Dave Johnson, who served in Afghanistan in 2002, said he’s of course conscious of the holiday’s origins, but Independence Day is a family event.

“It’s meant a lot for the kids,” he said. “The Fourth of July is a kids’ celebration, and it brings out the kid in the adults.”

Sales were brisk at the TNT Fireworks, north of East Helena. Co-owner Jolene Dobyns said business began to pick up Thursday evening, and early risers were collecting supplies at 8:15 a.m. Friday.

“I think the weather’s going to help us because it’s rained and people feel safer lighting off fireworks,” she said.

The National Weather Service issued 37 severe weather warnings for central Montana, according to the agency’s Great Falls office. Some of those warning were issued for the Helena area.

A tornado warning was issued at 4:37 p.m. for a storm west of Marysville, but the office said it had no confirmation of a twister. Wind gusts in excess of 60 mph were recorded along the Rocky Mountain Front, along with golf-ball-size hail.

Reporter Larry Kline: 447-4075 or larry.kline@helenair.com