Photo by Eric Keith

The riverfront was a popular spot to watch the fireworks on Wyeth Hill Saturday night.

Like a scene out of “Independence Day” or “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” thousands gathered from all around to gaze at the visual spectacle in the sky.

Granted, this wasn’t aliens. Rather, it was fireworks at Heritage Park that clogged roads leading up to Terrible’s St. Jo Frontier Casino and Heritage Park.

Some, such as a gathering of four sets of families of the Henmans, Edsons, Reynolds and Moreheads, have made it a tradition to stay away from the clutter of trying to get a closer view of the fireworks. Instead they were one of hundreds lining Highland Avenue.

Equipped with an estimated $400 worth of fireworks and a full-sized grill, the families gathered hours before any of the hundreds of cars, vans and trucks were around.

“We were here at about 5 (p.m.),” Melissa Edson said. “The next car didn’t show up until 7:09.”

The families said they have been gathering for about five years and plan to keep the tradition alive in the coming years.

“You’ve got all of this open area, a pretty good view of the fireworks and a little less crowd congestion,” Melissa Edson said.

Sam Stone, of Savannah, Mo., was able to brave the crowd and make it down to the big show at Heritage Park.

“The crowd out here is amazing,” he said. “This is my second time here, and I’m just blown away by how many people are here. It’s going to take forever to get out.”

The Firkins family was part of the road crowd after getting to the scene a little late from their afternoon cookout. Beth Firkins, her husband and her son, Drew, drove from Omaha, Neb., for the reunion and for the explosive light show in the sky, as did her mother father, Carl and Esther.

“We’ve been to St. Joe many times, but we’ve never seen the fireworks here,” she said.

A resident of Boston for 20 years, Beth said she was used to seeing the fireworks in the city with the Boston Pops providing the soundtrack. While she wasn’t sure if this would rival that experience, the gathering of the entire family enhances it.

“Fireworks are good no matter where you are,” she said.

Andrew Gaug can be reached

at andrewgaug@npgco.com.