I recall many memories of July 4th weekends while living in the DC metro area. The holiday was (and is) something for the record books. Our typical firework routine was to take a picnic dinner to Germantown to our favorite vantage point for the fireworks at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Every couple of years we would break from the norm and try a new location. I have trouble remembering the deets but I believe we made it to the National Mall one year. With these memories and expectations in tote, Ali and I (well, mostly me) prepared for the Boston 4th.
Boston expects to welcome 500k spectators on Sunday. This is not the weekend for running errands that require personal automotive transportation. My plan is to get out of the office early on Friday and find a weekend-permanent home for the car. If it can be helped, the car will stay put for the next 3.5 days.
Wifey and I have fortunate access to the heart of the action. The hatch shell is 2 blocks away and the fireworks are launched from only a short stroll down the Esplanade. In fact, the Esplanade is part of my favorite dog walk and jog route. We've gotten an insiders glimpse of the preparation in the days leading up to the 4th. Have you ever wondered what the barges look like?
The challenge for taking-in all the the event has to offer is to juggle the Boston Pops concert with a good seat for the fireworks. While the Hatch Shell is the best seat for the Pops and National Broadcast, the surrounding tree layer prevents a good view of the fireworks. Fortunately, the Pops do a full dress rehearsal (complete with Martina McBride) on the night of July 3rd.
On the 3rd, we were surprised that we couldn't hear the rehearsal from our window. We decided to cruise over to the Beacon Hill side of Storrow Drive. It was nice to be on the periphery of the chaos.
The big day/night finally came. The number of people that pour onto the Esplanade is astonishing. The people, coolers, tents, and food have been piling up since before the morning dog walk (8a). The boats have been anchoring in the Charles for even longer. We are SOO glad that everything is in walking distance for us!!
The wind was blowing the firework remnants directly at us (smoke, debris, etc). The smoke doesn't bother us and the debris is few and far between. Although, a guy to our right got hit with (what we believe was) an ember. This is the closet I've ever been to the fireworks - in Germantown, the fireworks were several times further away. Fireworks look a lot bigger when you're this close. ...the concussions are much bigger too. I loved it but felt sorry for what Jake must've been going through back at the homestead. I video taped the whole fireworks show from our vantage point but will spare you the 20 minutes of amateur video.
Now that it's over, I'm happy to have properly attended theBoston Fireworks Spectacular. Next year, we'll be free to do what the true Bostonians do: avoid the crowds by heading for the islands. :-)
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