Alexandra Martinakovas Photos
To quote the mayor: "Fireworks good if done by professionals."
Police Chief Karl Jacobson pleads with people to obey the rules so that everyone can have an enjoyable day.
“Fireworks good when a professional does them. Fireworks bad when you do them yourself.”
Mayor Justin Elicker offered that public-service message Tuesday morning at a press conference at Wilbur Cross High School all about this Friday’s city-sanctioned fireworks celebration for the Fourth of July.
New Haven’s fireworks celebration is one of the largest in the state, a 25-minute show that will cost $30,000.
Approximately 700 shells will go off from the summit of East Rock Park, which will be closed on Friday to help set up the display. Pre-firework festivities — including food trucks and live DJ music provided by WYBC — will begin at 6 p.m. at the athletic fields of Wilbur Cross High School. The firework display is scheduled for 9 p.m.
“Fourth of July, as the kids say, is gonna be lit in New Haven,” Elicker said. “We are excited to host one of the best fireworks displays in the state.”
The purpose of the press conference was to emphasize the importance of safety regulations during this holiday.
“The issues we have with bad fireworks is that people like to put together their own and several times have started bushfires and multiple fires that have lost people their homes,” said Fire Chief John Alston. “It does not take long for the sun to dry out a roof, to dry out the grass. Those sporadic amateur shows, they are not what we need. Mayor said we spent $30,000, come and enjoy a professional show.”
He emphasized the last point with pointing the attention towards veterans who have come back with post-traumatic stress disorders, who know to stay away from scheduled fireworks displays, but can’t from the random ones around the city.
Alston noted that even legal fireworks should be soaked after use and should be kept away from children and pets. Fireworks that fly in the air are not allowed. And according to Police Chief Karl Jacobson, anyone who flies illegal fireworks “could be arrested.”
Jacobson also noted that the noise complaint fines have now been raised to $1,000 and for the entire weekend, additional officers will patrol the area.
“We’ve had some large displays in the past that have led to standoffs with the police. We’re not gonna tolerate that,” Jacobson said. “We do have issues that we are gonna attack, like Long Wharf. Do not go down Long Wharf with speakers because the police will be down there writing $1,000 tickets. Everybody have fun and be safe.”
For the celebration at Wilbur Cross, parking restrictions should be anticipated from 5 p.m. that will be enforced with towing. Jacobson asked people for patience while officers direct traffic in the area.
“Fourth of July is time for us to reflect, not just a time to connect with your family and have a really good time, but to reflect on our democracy, how fragile it is and how we should foster that democracy to be a real democracy,” Elicker said. “It is time to reflect on what our role is, it is time to appreciate the individuals that served our country and allowed us our freedoms that we have today and it’s a time to recommit ourselves to the idea of a perfect union. It is going to be a wonderful evening.”
People can opt to watch in-person from the Wilbur Cross football field — or as Elicker noted, “if you can see the monument at the top of the East Rock Park, you’re gonna be able to see the fireworks” — or live at WTNH and WCTX.
The rain date is Saturday, July 5.
Fire Chief John Alston urges people to enjoy the city's displays and not try to make their own firework shows at home.