Fireworks bathed the stadium in red, white, then back to blue during the town’s Independence Day celebration Wednesday.

More than 27,000 people packed the east side of the stadium for the town’s fireworks celebration. The event returned after being cancelled last year because of budget cuts.

The town asked for donations of $1 per person and $5 per family at the gates and raised $8,000. The even cost more than $42,000.

Eleven business contributed $11,750 to help defray costs including Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery; UNC Health Care; 140 West Franklin; Cruizers Convenience and Marketplace; East 54; Performance Subaru; The Cedars of Chapel Hill; Corporate Investors Mortgage Group; Chick-fil-A of University Mall; The Peoples Channel, and Harrington Bank.

Grace Church also provided 10,000 free glow necklaces.

Top of the Hill, UNC Healthcare and RAM Development, which is building the new 140 West condominium and retail complex on West Franklin Street currently under construction, each donated $2,000.

The Carolina Inn, Cruizers, 54 East, and Performance Subaru each contributed $1,000 to defray event costs.

The Cedars and Corporate Investors Mortgage Group and Chick-fil-A donated $500 each.

Harrington Bank donated $250.

The Chapel Hill Fourth of July celebration ranked as the No. 1 event offered by the Town of Chapel Hill in the 2011 Community Survey.