June 30, 2011 – New Canaan, CT
How will your family celebrate Independence Day this year?
If your family is anything like ours, viewing at least one annual July 4th Fireworks display is a must! Thus, we have researched the 2011 Independence Day weekend schedule for surrounding Fairfield County Fireworks…..
NEW CANAAN: The Town has released the details of the 31st Annual New Canaan Family 4th Fireworks … Set for Monday, July 4, 2011, at Waveny Park. This year the event is planned to spark the interest of the entire family with children’s inflatable bouncers, magician The Great Siroco, the Town Band, glow necklaces, and soda and ice cream.
The park will open to the public at 5:00pm; entry will only be allowed with a pass. The fireworks display is expected to start around 9:15pm.
The celebration is funded entirely by the sale of passes ($30 per car or per walk-in family). Residents may elect to make an additional donation to the event when purchasing a pass online by clicking on “Make a Donation” on the “Summary of Charges” page.
New Canaan Residents can buy a pass online direct from the town, or you can purchase one in person at the Recreation Department offices at Waveny Castle through July 1st or at the Town Hall on July 2nd from 10am to 2pm. Proof of residency is required. A limited number of non-resident passes are available at the Recreation Department Office for $60 per pass.
In case of inclement weather, information will be available by calling 203.594.3610, by logging into www.newcanaan.info or by tuning into cablevision channel 79. The raindate is Monday, July 5th.
WESTPORT: Friday, July 1, 2010, 9:15 – 10:15pm
Compo Beach
Westport, CT 06880
The annual PAL fireworks display is set for Friday, July 1, 2011 with a rain date of Tuesday, July 5, 2011.
This is a well-attended event with heavy vehicle and pedestrian traffic that will affect all roads south of Greens Farms Road between South Compo Road and Hillspoint Road. It is recommended that spectators arrive early as traffic delays are inevitable. The beach should reopen to ticket holders by 5 p.m. (determination will be made by Parks and Recreation staff).
Pedestrians attending the fireworks are reminded to not to walk on the roads and to use the sidewalks when going to and from Compo Beach. Wear bright clothing and parents – please keep an eye on small children at all times!
Fireworks go off approximately @ 9:15pm. CLICK HERE for updates.
NORWALK – CALF PASTURE BEACH: Sunday, July 3, 2011,
Entertainment and Fireworks for the whole family – For the kids, the Amazing Andy Show with Performance beginning at 5:30pm and The Bossy Frog Band performance starting at 6:30pm. Entertainment at Shady Beach: Dance to the music with DJ NUZZO beginning at 6:00pm, followed by The Bill Genuario Band with performance starting at 8:00pm, and continuing AFTER the fireworks display. Fireworks to begin just after 9:00pm. A parking fee of $20 per car will be charged to anyone without a current Norwalk Beach Sticker.
DARIEN: On Sunday, July 3, fireworks will return to the skies above Darien High School for the first time since the campus was rebuilt. Gates will open to vehicles at 6 p.m. and the display will begin at approximately 8:45 p.m. (Pedestrians will be allowed to enter before 6 p.m.) All traffic must enter the campus from Noroton Avenue. There will be nine viewing areas around the school [see map] with no access to the lower baseball fields or the stadium field. Chairs, food and drinks (except for water) are not allowed on the artificial turf field in the oval. Vendors will be on site selling food, drinks and souvenirs, but no alcoholic beverages will be permitted. The rain date is scheduled for Tuesday, July 5.
FAIRFIELD: Head to Penfield or Jennings Beaches to watch some fireworks explode on Monday, July 4. The show starts just after dark. Beach parking permits aren’t required and parking lots at both beaches will be free after 6 p.m. Show up early to hear The Atwood Express Oldies Band play at Jennings Beach from 5-7 p.m. and The Shamrogues play at Penfield Beach from 7-9 p.m. The rain date is scheduled for Tuesday, July 5.
GREENWICH: Binney Park and Greenwich Point are the two places to catch this year’s fireworks display. The show is scheduled for Saturday, July 2 at dusk and a rain date is scheduled for Sunday, July 3.
ROWAYTON, Norwalk: Saturday, July 2, 2011, Bayley Beach and Pinkney Park, Residents $20 per car, non-residents $10 each, walk ins free. Music at 6PM, Fireworks at dusk. Rain date: July 4th. For the best view, head for the mouth of Five Mile River to Rocky Point, including Bayley Beach and the shoreline clubs. Vehicles with a Bayley Beach sticker will be admitted for free, while those without a sticker will be charged a nominal fee. If you’d like to use a picnic table during the show, a lottery will be held Saturday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. at Bayley Beach. The winning numbers will be drawn at 1 p.m.
STAMFORD: Sadly, it appears Budget cuts have snuffed out Stamford’s Fourth of July fireworks again for 2011, city officials said. This is the second year in a row there will be no ‘rocket’s red glare’ rising above the Stamford skyline. In response to the mayor’s calls for slashed spending across all city departments, no money is budgeted for the holiday display, held annually in Cummings Park.
This is just the second time in at least 50 years the city did not have a fireworks show. City Parks Department Superintendant Mickey Docimo said the fireworks have lit up the sky each July “as far back as I can remember. I can’t remember a year since I’ve been born when there’s been no fireworks,” said Docimo, 48, who grew up on Cove Road.
City officials said the main reason for cancelling the event was not the fireworks’ cost, but overtime expenses associated with the celebration. Stay tuned….
SHELTON: On Friday, July 1, Shelton Veterans Riverwalk Park will be the place to see a fireworks display. The rain date is the following evening.
WESTON: Weston residents should get ready to clear their entire schedule on Monday, July 4 for the town’s Family 4th Celebration at Weston Middle School. The festivities start at 11:30 a.m. with swimming at Bisceglie-Scribner Park until 6 p.m. Then head to the school at 4:30 p.m. for food, live music, a magic show, a laser show and fireworks display at 9:20 p.m. Tickets to the afternoon activities are $5 per person for ages 5 and up. There will be no seating allowed on artificial turf fields. No entry from Lords Highway after 7 p.m. will be permitted.
WESTPORT: The Westport Police Athletic League and Westport Parks & Recreation will be holding the town’s annual Independence Day Fireworks Celebration on Friday, July 1 at Compo Beach. Tickets, which are $30 per car, are on sale at the police station and the Parks & Recreation Office. Compo Beach will close at 4 p.m. that day to non-ticketholders. The beach will reopen as soon as all non-ticketholders have been cleared. Access to the display will be made through South Compo Road only. Hillspoint Road south of Greens Farms Road will be open to residents with residences south of that intersection. Shuttle buses will be run from Longshore Park by the Marina to Compo Beach. The rain date is scheduled for Tuesday, July 5.
WILTON: The festivities at Wilton High School will start early on Monday, July 4. After a Republicans vs. Democrats softball game at 2:30 p.m., a musical performance by Shadow Act at 5:30 p.m. and a performance by the Rum Runners at 8 p.m., the fireworks will begin at 9:30 p.m. But don’t rush home after the show’s over — the Rum Runners will return for a second performance at 10 p.m. The fee is $20 per car.
Did you ever wonder what Connecticut State Law said about fireworks? Well, we’ve got the answer: CT Law Regarding Consumer Fireworks and Display Fireworks.
Other things to do on Independence Day 2011:
July 4th Annual Push-n-Pull Parade — DARIEN, CT July 4, 2011
Start stocking up on red, white and blue streamers and decorations so you’re ready to wrap your bikes and Radio Flyer wagons and join more than 2,000 of your closest friends this July 4th in the YWCA of Darien-Norwalk 6th Annual Push-n-Pull Parade! It’s a party from the beginning of the route, where, at Goodwives Shopping Center at 10:00am, Mary Ann Hall’s Music for Children will be entertaining the waiting crowd, through the parade which will be led by an authentic fife & drum band, all the way to the end of the parade, where major festivities continue at Tilley Pond Park, where there will be live music by Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band, the Great Sirico magician, a craft fair, and tons of food and ice cream. Insider tip: get to Goodwives early in order to get a good spot in the line which means you get to be at the front of the parade. It’s more fun to be in the lead. This is THE event of the summer in Darien, hoards of people come out for it, the stroll along the Post Road is fun and leisurely, you see everyone you know, and the party at Tilley Pond afterwards is great for the whole family. CLICK HERE for more information.
Celebrate Independence Day — Kent, CT
July 4, 2011
Celebrate Independence Day with hands-on activities, and and outdoor bell-ringing ceremony at the Sloane-Stanley Museum. Location: Route 7. Time: noon – 4 p.m. Cost: adults, $8; children, $5. Information: 860-927-3849 or visit www.cultureandtourism.org.
Independence Day — Mystic, CT
July 4, 2011
Join us on July 4 for games and activities and a special 1876 Independence Day ceremony. Patriotic ceremonies begin with the 27th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry re-enacting Civil War military exercises. There will be a children’s parade around the village, followed by an 1876 Independence Day ceremony and a concert by the Silver Cornet Band on the Village Green.
Additionally, visitors can play croquet with “Americans from the past,” take part in a wheelbarrow race and other 19th-century lawn games, watch live theatrical performances by the Mystic Seaport Tale Makers and churn ice cream. Children are also invited to test their skills in an old-fashioned spelling bee. All special Independence Day celebrations and activities are included in Mystic Seaport admission. Reservations are not required.
Location: Mystic Seaport, 75 Greenmanville Avenue. Time: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Cost: Museum admission: Information: 888-973-2767 or visit www.mysticseaport.org.
This Weekend in Connecticut
July 1, 2011
NEW LONDON
July 1-3 – Sentinels on the Sound – Custom House Maritime Museum, 150 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320. Enjoy a weekend of lighthouse tours, special exhibition and events. From the lantern of New London Harbor Light, one can see an amazing number of lighthouses – perhaps more than from any other spot on earth, according to the United States Coast Guard. For the first time ever, all Three Sisters of New London Harbor – New London Harbor Light, Ledge Light and Avery Point Light, will be open for the public to tour inside the towers (pre-registration required). Other activities include special lighthouse excursions (some by boat), shoreline bicycle tour, lighthouse cake competition and performances. (860) 447-2501
EAST HADDAM
July 1-3 (runs through September 11) – Showboat – Goodspeed Opera House, Rte. 82, East Haddam, CT 06423. Time(s): Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 1 & 8 p.m., Sunday 2 & 6:30 p.m. Come aboard for an epic American musical! A sweeping tale spanning four decades, Show Boat is a journey into the lives, loves and heartbreaks of three generations of show folk on the mighty Mississippi River. Jerome Kern’s masterpiece is a treasure trove of unforgettable music including “Ol’ Man River,” “Can’t Help Loving Dat Man,” and “You Are Love.” Don’t miss this timeless triumph of the Broadway stage! (Recommended for ages 10+) Check out the special events and offers. Admission: Call for ticket prices. (860) 873-8668
NORWALK
July 1-4 (runs through September 5) Dinosaur Summer – The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, 10 North Water Street, Norwalk, CT 06850. Time(s): Daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Learn what it’s like to grow up as a dinosaur. Kids love to “play” dinosaurs and that pretend world comes to life – almost – with a new exhibit of life sized robotic dinosaurs. The exhibit lets kids imagine what it might have been like to grow up as a dinosaur – how fast young dinosaurs grew, how big they got, what they ate and how they were protected from danger. It explores these concepts by pairing young and adult dinosaurs of four species: Stegosaurus, with the line of bony plates across their backs; the long-necked Apatosaurus; the crested Parasaurolophus; and Tyrannosaurus rex. Admission: Free with Aquarium admission. (203) 852-0700
WOODBURY
July 2 – Summer Fest – Hollow Park, Woodbury, CT 06776. Time: 6 – 9 p.m. The cast of Beatlemania and the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra take center stage in a performance that brings to life the music of the Beatles. The Orchestra also performs a solo set featuring well-known classics, pops, and American favorites. All seats, except VIP, are lawn seats so blankets and chairs are encouraged. Admission: $25 in advance, $30 day of show, $10 children (6-12), 5 and under free. (203) 346-2000
PORTLAND
July 2-4 – Family Reunion Picnic, Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park, 161 Brownstone Avenue, Portland, CT 06480. Time(s): 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Looking for active adventure that the entire family will enjoy, then bring them to the Park for an unforgettable day. There’s zip lines, rock climbing, scuba diving, cliff jumping, wakeboarding, kayaking, swimming, mountain biking, hiking and a Challenge Course. Special pricing packages sweeten the deal for this weekend. Receive 20% off for groups of 10 or more. Special picnic package includes adventure pass and all day food buffet (reservations required). Back by popular demand is the Brownstone’s 2011 “Top Dog” – Hot Dog Eating Contest. Admission: $18/$28. (866) 860-0208