WOW! What an experience!
I have had the ability to experience a lot of amazing things in my life thus far but when you are able to be there when history is made, even if it is in a small town, is another experience all together.
May 17 2018 history was made in Twin Falls, ID. The first ever laser and light show was displayed in the Snake River Canyon against the Shoshone Falls.
Thursday seemed to drag on that day, I was so excited that there was finally something interesting to do in tiny Twin Falls that wasn’t a cow auction or rodeo, time seemed to crawl all day till it was FINALLY time to head to the show! I was so worried that the show would be canceled, a few hours before the show true Idaho weather showed it’s face and it DOWN POURED with rain. The other side of Idaho weather…wait 10 minutes it will probably be over by then. And true to the statement about 25 minutes after the rain began the sun was shinning again!
I am thankful that we didn’t have to try and deal with parking at the falls, even during a normal summer day with tourists visiting parking can be difficult, this would have been another ballpark all together! The Southern Idaho Tourism had parking at a large church at the top of the canyon and was running buses down to the falls.
When we stepped off the buses the park had been transformed to a tiny carnival! There were vendors, food trucks, bleachers all set in semi circle around the falls. We got there almost 2 hours before the show, which normally to me would seem REALLY early but for an event like this I knew that viewing locations are limited and so getting there as early as we could to secure our spot with a good view was imperative.
One thing I have learned about going to these kinds of events is you kind of have to be aggressive. I know no one wants to actually admit that fact but it is true! I had scouted a great location where I could get some good shots and see the show really well. And as time got closer and closer to the show starting and the buses kept filing down the hillside the more “vultures” seemed to be circling my spot. That’s when you have to be a little more aggressive with your spot because if you don’t stand your ground, soon you’ll find yourself shoved out of your own spot! 
Once the lights started though the entire canyon seemed to just be still. No one made a noise when the music started and the lights kicked on, not even the little kids who were up far past their bed times. Just silent awe of the show.
Twenty-four minutes later (as some complained about later since it was supposed to be a twenty-five minute show). Silence once again fell over the canyon but this time darkness accompanied it as the show ended…and the stampede began. If you can imagine hundreds of people all rushing to the six or seven buses which were the first wave of transportation all at once…my husband made the comment that if this was the end of the world you would have probably seen grown adults shoving children out of the way to get on those buses cause that is what it felt like. 
We decided to not be the jerks to push families with children out of the way and in return of that we still made it on the last bus in the first wave. Just goes to show that being kind to others still pays off. If you ever get the chance to attend something like this a few tips:
- Get there early
- Bring chairs
- Don’t be “the guy” with their cell phone light on
- Be kind to others – it pays off
- And look up from the camera or cell phone and actually take in the experience with your own two eyes!
Traveling Photographer Out!
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