Roanoke, VA - There's a big change coming to Roanoke's Fourth of July celebration. The 32nd annual "Music for Americans" celebration will be just as big as previous years, but one notable absence is the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra.

For the first time in the history of the event the orchestra will not be playing. An organizer says the economy is partly to blame in the sense that he couldn't meet the symphony's minimum financial requirement.

However, they've hired two bands to replace them, including a Beatles commemoration band. On Friday, crews were busy setting up the stage.

Reid Henion with StageSound Productions said, "This is the middle of our concert season so it's a busy time of year. Stuff rolls from one venue to another and... that's what we do. "

Organizers say this year's fireworks display is actually bigger than last year's. That begins at 9:30 p.m. Saturday night.

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