Last year the fireworks were cancelled because of budget constraints and because De Anza College, where they've been held for years, was undergoing construction. But with the overwhelming outcry from longtime residents, the council decided that—no matter what—pyrotechnics would fly this year.

The conditions, however, will be different.

With De Anza still in the middle of construction, the city will set the fireworks off at Cupertino High School.

But there's a catch. There is no room at the school for spectators.

To make up for this, the city has arranged for three spectator locations, which it says would be best for viewing the show—Creekside Park at 10455 Miller Ave., Hyde Middle School at 19325 Bollinger Road and Sedgewick Elementary School at 19200 Phil Lane. All three are close to Cupertino High.

Knapp said the locations were discovered by placing scouts at certain locations surrounding Cupertino High and having them look out for a helicopter perched high above the school. The places where the helicopter was most visible became the designated areas for viewing.

"It isn't a great place to do it," Knapp said about hosting the display at the school. "There just aren't enough places to watch from."

"Some people will be disappointed," Knapp said.

Knapp said that in recent years the fireworks display has become more than just a local event. People from all over the Bay Area, as well as out of town, have come to watch the city's festival.

Cupertino resident Mike Jordon said, "The Fourth of July fireworks is the one event that brings the community together, the one that reminds us all we are American."

Schultz said the city should always keep the fireworks, preferably at De Anza. "I'm 100 percent for it," Schultz said. "It's patriotic."

Because of the year's difficult budget and the fact that De Anza could not host the display, Knapp said the $66,000 in funds might have been better spent elsewhere.

Nevertheless, he said the cost of this year's festival was less than in previous years, which have run around $80,000.

Of the $66,000, Knapp said around $60,000 goes toward the fireworks themselves, and the rest is allocated for other festivities surrounding the July 4 event.

Besides the initial cost of security and setup for the fireworks, the city will be hosting activities around Memorial Park throughout the day.

As it does each Fourth of July, the De Anza Optimist Club will host its traditional pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. in the Quinlan Center's Cupertino Room.

The Children's Parade will begin at 10 a.m. as they march from the ballfield in Memorial Park over to the Quinlan Center. And the children's community singalong begins at the Quinlan Center at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Evening events begin at 6:45 p.m., with entertainers and games at the three designated fireworks-viewing locations, and at 9:30 p.m. the fireworks begin.

Parking will be available around the viewing locations as well as at Vallco Fashion Park.

For safety reasons, there will be no public access to the Cupertino High School campus. Finch and Tilson streets will be closed to traffic from 6 to 10:30 p.m. For handicap-accessible parking locations, please contact the parks and recreation department office by July 2 at 408.777.3110. For all other questions, please call the Quinlan Community Center at 408.777.3120.