Saturday is the Fourth of July. So go ahead, celebrate your independence from royal rule. Shoot one off in honor of the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. There are some fireworks restrictions, of course, but thanks to recent rains they aren't as tight as they were in drier years.

A professional fireworks show is planned at the Santa Fe High School campus on Saturday night, capping off Independence Day observances that begin early Saturday with the annual Pancakes on the Plaza community breakfast and fund-raiser.

It's among a variety of holiday events scheduled in the area. For example, in Madrid, there will be a 10 a.m. softball game at the Oscar Huber Memorial Ball Field, a noon parade, live music, tours and a display of images evoking the heyday of the old coal mining town. At Nambé Pueblo, Native American dances are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Nambé Falls, on N.M. 503 east of U.S. 84/285.

Neither the city or the county of Santa Fe has invoked special fireworks rules this year, but that doesn't mean you can light whatever you want. The state of New Mexico has its own law regarding the use of fireworks. It's 14 pages long.

But the city of Santa Fe has taken some of the guesswork out of the equation for city residents by vetting the fireworks sold by retailers within city limits to make sure they meet state standards.

"So if you buy it within the city limits, you are legal," city Fire Marshal Angelo Ortega said. "The illegal ones are the ones that come from out ... in those tents."

Fireworks vendors on pueblo land aren't subject to state regulation, but the use of fireworks off of pueblo land is subject to state and local jurisdiction.

If you do light fireworks, Ortega recommends keeping a bucket of water and a fire extinguisher nearby, and perhaps conducting some pre-pyrotechnic raking or pruning of shrubs or low-hanging branches in the area where the fireworks will be used.

The main thing to keep in mind regarding fireworks, Ortega said, is "adult supervision, adult supervision, adult supervision."

County Fire Marshal Stan Holden echoed Ortega's sentiments. "In Santa Fe County the overall conditions as far as fire danger are better this year than they have been in previous years," he said. "But we still encourage people to use due caution when utilizing their fireworks, especially when it comes to children."

Fourth of July festivities in Santa Fe start long before dark. Pancakes on the Plaza begins downtown at 7 a.m. Lines can be long at the volunteer-run event, but proceeds benefit several area nonprofits —including The New Mexican Foundation, The Santa Fe Rotary Club and the United Way of Santa Fe. Entertainment will be provided to help pass the time while waiting for or noshing on hotcakes.

Live music and dance demonstrations begin on the Plaza Bandstand at 9 a.m. and last until about 3 p.m.

As night nears, fireworks fans will make their way to the Santa Fe High School area to take in the extravaganza put on by the Santa Fe Boys and Girls Club.

The 20-minute, $20,000 display, funded by the city of Santa Fe, will be choreographed to music by a commercial fireworks company based in Oklahoma and implemented by Hogle's Theatrical Supply.

Hogle's co-owner Steve Klunder said this is the first year his staff will be firing the public display without former owner Dick Hogle, who sold the business in 2007.

Al Padilla, Boys and Girls Club chief professional officer, said representatives of his organization will open the gates to Santa Fe High School's Ivan Head Stadium at 5:30 p.m.

While the fireworks won't start until dark, Padilla said live bands and a concession stand run by the Santa Fe High School baseball team will keep people entertained.

Judging from the shells provided to him by the fireworks company, Klunder said, the finale for this year's show promises to be "one of the best we've had so far."

"There was a beautiful one two years ago that was mostly white," Klunder said. "This year is going to be different. It's going to have some color in it and lots of red, white and blue."

Contact Phaedra Haywood at 986-3068 or phaywood@sfnewmexican.com">phaywood@sfnewmexican.com.