"This was the best year ever," said Farookh Ali, whose family has attended the Cupertino fireworks show for several years.

This year's fireworks pilgrimage came after the city cancelled last year's show because of construction at De Anza, the usual venue for setting off the pyrotechnics, and because of budget constraints. But with the outcry from residents last year, the city decided it would have fireworks this year, no matter what.

However, with De Anza still under construction, the city settled on Cupertino High as the place to fire off the show. But with no place for onlookers at the school, the city created three separate locations for viewing the display: Creekside Park, Hyde Middle School and Sedgewich Elementary School.

The park and two schools were not the only places filled with spectators. Streets all around the neighborhoods were lined with viewers who sat outside their houses to observe the show.

Before the festival, there was some controversy as to how people would react to the new location. For the most part, the spectators were pleased that the fireworks had returned.

Tony O'Toole from Los Gatos, who is a Cupertino fireworks regular, said he enjoyed the change of setting.

"This location was much easier to get to and find parking," he said, comparing his experience with previous festivals at De Anza.

But some were a little disappointed.

Michael Leier of Cupertino said he missed the De Anza environment because he liked to feel the fireworks blow up around him. "They rattle you, and they're falling on you," Leier said.