Government

Town To Market Waveny Fireworks as ‘Residents-Only’

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Though police say they’re not anticipating a major rise in attendees for this year’s Independence Day weekend picnic and fireworks at Waveny, the volunteer committee that organizes the event is marketing it as “residents-only.”

The Family Fourth Committee long has urged those planning to attend the event, scheduled this year for Saturday, July 3, to buy parking/entry passes and typically sells more than 2,000 of them. Of those, about 1,800 are purchased by New Canaan residents in a normal year. The standalone fund to put on the event is supported by pass sales (it has about $70,000 in it currently). Those driving into Waveny or New Canaan High School to park without a pass have been allowed to enter, in part because it’s a practical impossibility to hold up the line talking to them about their passes or trying to have them turn around. Noting that some towns canceled their own fireworks shows this year due to uncertainty about pandemic-related restrictions, Committee members voiced fears at meetings held May 20 and 27 that the Waveny event could see so many people come that it overwhelms the park and becomes unsafe for pedestrians.

Andrew Walsh

‘I Don’t Think It’s Very Realistic’: Committee Mulls Postponement or Cancellation of July 4th Waveny Fireworks [UPDATED]

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Members of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual fireworks celebration at Waveny said Wednesday that the popular family gathering likely won’t happen in any form on July 4 and that it remains to be seen whether a postponed event is feasible. The Family Fourth Committee stopped short of making a formal recommendation to postpone or cancel the event. Yet even in a modified fireworks show—for example, where attendees are told to park on the lawn at Waveny and remain in their cars—members of the group voiced concerns about people ignoring such instructions. 

“Here’s an example—the parks got closed for a reason,” Committee member Wendy Dixon Fog, who also is a volunteer EMT with New Canaan Emergency Medical Services, said during the meeting, held via videoconference. “And they got closed because people refused to social distance and you had a lacrosse game and you had a little bumble bee soccer game and these parents were already told, ‘Social distancing, no games.’ So if we can’t control what they are doing in small numbers, I don’t know how we are going to be able to do this.”

Chair Tom Stadler said the Committee would meet weekly until it reached a decision. Committee member Robin Bates-Mason said Norwalk, Westport, Enfield, West Haven, Hartford and Windsor Locks already have canceled their Independence Day fireworks.

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‘Thank You’ from Family Fourth Committee Chairman

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Editor:

On behalf of the Family Fourth Committee, I would like to thank all who supported the 39th Annual New Canaan Family Fourth Celebration at Waveny Park by purchasing an entrance pass and attending this Independence Day celebration. Your financial support makes this great New Canaan tradition possible; whether you drove in or walked in, thank you for buying an entrance pass and supporting the event.  

The fireworks show was spectacular.  It was another memorable 4th of July celebration….an outstanding evening of family fun, wonderful music, great food and a fantastic fireworks display.  

We offer a big thank you to the New Canaan Family Fourth volunteer Committee—Robin Bates-Mason, Steve Benko, Scott Cluett, Chris Cody, Wendy Dixon Fog, Win Goodrich, Sue Holland, Suzanne Jonker, Steve Parrett, Doug Richardson, Andrew Walsh, Maria Weingarten and Pat Wood—as well as all of the following. The show could not have gone on without their endless energy, hard work and commitment:

Fire Department and Fire Marshal
Police Department and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
New Canaan EMS
Master of Ceremonies Dan Taylor
Town Band and Mind the Gap Band
Kidz on the Go soft-play activity centers 
The gourmet food trucks and vendors
The Exchange Club of New Canaan
Our special benefactors
Town Parking, Parks, Public Works, Recreation and Information Technology Departments
All of the volunteers who worked from early morning, to very late at night, to set up and take down the necessary infrastructure and equipment.

Around Town

‘Drifting Silver Rain with Crackling Tail’: New Canaan Family Fourth Committee Eyes Even More Spectacular Fireworks Show at Waveny

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New Canaan Family Fourth 2016

Uploaded by Michael Dinan on 2016-07-05.

Town officials this week approved a $30,000 contract with a Douglassville, Pa.-based pyrotechnic company to put on an even more spectacular fireworks show at the Waveny July 4th event this summer. The Family Fourth is paid for entirely out of private funds, raised mainly through sales of passes as well as generous donations. This year, the town is upping its contract between the recreation director and International Fireworks Mfg. Co. from $25,000 to $30,000—partly a step increase after the former price had been held for nearly 10 years, and partly because “we decided we wanted to add a few more things to the show and make it a more exciting show,” Recreation Director and Family Fourth Committee member Steve Benko told the Board of Selectmen at its regular meeting.