Moriarty, home to two year-round fireworks businesses, is seeing visitors from around the country shelling out the dough for sparklers, artillery shells, bottle rockets, firecrackers and much more. The reason so many flock to the city is its lax rules on the sale of fireworks.

Visitors from Michigan, Minnesota and California have stopped in at Wholesale Fireworks, managed by Sandy and William Brandon. People come from miles around to buy fireworks they can't get in much of the area, according to William Brandon. He estimated 60 percent of their sales are products that are illegal in Albuquerque.

The store, on Old Route 66, is open year-round. The building has been packed on the weekends, according to Sandy Brandon. Wholesale will be providing fireworks for Moriarty, Estancia and Mountainair's displays on Saturday night. Sales are a bit down, William Brandon said, but folks are still taking part in the time-honored tradition.

"Look at our national anthem — 'the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air' — fireworks have been in our nation's and many other countries' histories for a long time."

The business employees about 20 local residents, and has been in operation in Moriarty for more than 20 years, with the Brandons managing for the past 17. Their doors are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., but the store has been staying open until midnight or 1 a.m. to accommodate customers.

Sales look fairly stable despite the nationwide recession, according to Mark Mullaney, owner of the TNT Fireworks temporary stand.

"People still pay for entertainment and food," Mullaney said. "They're still buying luxury items. People are still going to movies and still buying fireworks."

He's been in the business for 12 years and has seen fluctuations in the economy. But the sale of fireworks during the Fourth doesn't greatly reflect that, he said.

"The overall sales of fireworks haven't changed," Mullaney said. "The general amount people buy changes, but the changes haven't been as drastic as the economy as a whole right now."

TNT, based in the parking lot of TA Travel Center, also is seeing its fair share of customers from all over the country, Mullaney said. He said most have been from California. Many are truck drivers, who receive a 10 percent discount when they fill up at TA. Mullaney also has had customers from Illinois and Nebraska.

Though TNT may seem like an outsider, Mullaney said it is important to the company to support the city that's hosting it. A portion of the stand's proceeds is helping send the Moriarty Elite Cheer and Dance Team to the national championship in Colorado. The team will be on hand to perform in front of the stand throughout the day until the Fourth. The stand will be open 24 hours until July 5, he said.

Last holiday weekend Mullaney worked in Las Cruces, but said he loves working in Moriarty.

"Moriarty was basically the first main mecca of fireworks in the Southwest," he said.