A dust storm may have canceled a planned fireworks show, but the Light Up the Sky event still celebrated Maryvale’s community spirit as families came together to enjoy Fourth of July food and fun.

The community is often associated with high crime rates and broken families, but the Light Up the Sky event proves that Maryvale is united, said City Recreation Coordinator Georganne Soberay.

“Maryvale still is a loving and caring place to live, and it’s more of an outside third-party perspective that it’s ‘Scaryvale,’ not Maryvale,” she said.

The Light Up the Sky event drew crowds of nearly 17,000 people to the Maryvale Baseball Park on Thursday night.

The annual event used to be a large-scale production with special guests and a high price tag.  Budget cuts eventually forced city workers to downsize the event, turning it from a citywide attraction to a smaller, community-oriented celebration.  If anything, Soberay says the reduced size of the event has made it more enjoyable and personal for the Maryvale community.

“It had started to get a little bit too big.  You had big name DJs out there, the crowds…It really wasn’t about a community anymore, it was a destination event,” she said.

Tisha Webber, who attended the event on Thursday night, said it shows Maryvale’s unity.

“Having this actually brings the community together, and people get together and get along.  There’s no problems here, so it’s actually fun,” she said.

While children played games on the field, a dust storm swept across the Valley.  Event personnel asked everyone to find a seat in the stadium while waiting for the storm to pass.

Webber’s nine-year-old son did not enjoy the dust.

“The dust is horrible, but the event is great,” he said.

The dust storm quickly turned into a rainstorm.  Some families left as soon as the first raindrops began hitting the stadium, while others flocked beneath the concourse to stay dry.  The crowds under the concourse led to good business for popcorn vendor David Getz.

“We’re still really busy, but we’re the only food vendor here,” he said.

There weren’t fireworks because of the rain, but Getz said the community gathering at the ballpark still means a lot for Maryvale.

“I think it’s a great idea -- reach out to the community and celebrate the Fourth of July,” he said.

The Light Up the Sky event didn’t go as planned, but the event isn’t just about fireworks.  Soberay said the event goes beyond glitzy fireworks to show a side of Maryvale that often doesn’t get portrayed.

Preparations for the 2015 Light Up the Sky event will start in January.