La Crosse fireworks group that started during The Great Depression set for New Year’s eve display on Grandad Bluff

For almost 100 years the La Crosse Skyrockers have put on a New Year’s Eve fireworks show on Grandad Bluff.

The club has its equipment all set for two New Year’s Eve shows at 6 p.m. Tuesday and midnight.

The New Year’s tradition began in the late 1920s, as a way to boost people’s spirits at the start of the Great Depression.

Skyrockers secretary Pat Bonadurer said members are working on ideas for their centennial show coming up in just a few years. They also provide the July 4 fireworks along the river during Riverfest.

The Skyrockers traditionally do nightly salutes throughout December, from the bluff and from Pettibone Park on the Mississippi River with donors allowed to push the plunger on the detonator box.

Monday, members of the Mills family got their chance to yell “Fire in the hole!” and set off a couple of blasts at Pettibone.

Secretary Pat Bonadurer with the Skyrockers says the 6 p.m. show has become the bigger of the two programs. Some years, the fireworks have been called off or postponed, because of bad weather on Dec.