Crowds on Esplanade celebrate Fourth of July at annual Boston Pops show

After a rainy dress rehearsal on Tuesday, the Boston Pops finally had weather cooperate as crowds gathered for the historic event on the Fourth of July.

Hundreds of thousands of people flooded the Esplanade to celebrate at the annual Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.

The show got started around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, with spectators battling the heat throughout the day as they waited for the event.

In the end, not many had any complaints.

"We just love the environment with the music, the cannon," Jennifer Fish said. "Everything, it's great."

The Boston Pops, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, took the stage once again at the Hatch Shell.

"There is nothing like this experience," Lockhart said. "Truly an iconic event. Not just for Boston, but for this country."

Long lines of eager fans waited for hours to get a prime seat for the event.

"This is once in a lifetime," Brenna Rathsack said. "Don't know if they're moving when I'll get to Boston, so gotta get here while you can."

This year, security measures were tighter than ever, and sweltering heat hogged the spotlight on the holiday.

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"I won't lie, I've done this 24 years and the heat was the most brutal I remember it being," Lockhart said.

For some of the most celebrated guest performers, the star of the show remained the country they call home.

"I'm feeling very patriotic these days, more than usual," Rita Moreno said. "Because it's very important to show feelings for this country."

Cox Media Group