Juky 4th Fireworks

[Kathy]

Two of my kids have heard there will be no fireworks in Merrimack this 4th of July due to budget cuts. Is this true? I can certainly understand, but will miss them.

[Tim Tenhave]

Not true. Bad rumor. Town will have the parade (as usual), a midway sponsored by an outside person who likes Merrimack, and the fireworks (as usual) after sunset.

If you want to volunteer to help with putting the parade on, call Kristen at town hall at 424-2331. Also for midway access, talk to Kevin. Details at:

http://www.merrimacknh.gov/July4

[Kathy]

Thank you for this info. Rumor squashed.

[munkyMcgee]

Phew... I'd heard the same rumor. No fireworks would have been terrible. Are any events going on at or around Watson park? That seems like such a great new spot for midway/parade grounds.

[RD]

Do they still let you sit in the bleachers for the fireworks?

[pumbaa]

Interesting idea to use Watson Park for the midway. However, I think having it adjacent to the fireworks area comes into play. Also, parking would be an issue. Not that parking is great now, but you at least have the JMUES and curch lots, and the street parking is side streets.

As far as I could tell in the past few years, you are not allowed around the back of the High School, but maybe I was in the wrong place? I would love it if they found a place for the fireworks with more seating room, and you didn't have to look past the lights from the High School building.

[Tom Mahon]

The Rotary allowed seating in the field bleachers the first year and I beleive several spectators were hit by debris. After that, bleachers were closed. The wind is a big factor in where the debris from the exploded rounds falls. There is a lot of paper, ash and some embers. Every so often, there is an unexploded round. Bleachers are not a sfae place to watch fireworks.

[munkyMcgee]

Do you think it's possible to still see the fireworks from Watson park? It's so dark there at night, and all the grass area. Could be a nice spot.

[Nat Fairbanks]

I think Watson Park would be a great place to view the fireworks. I've watched from Railroad Ave & DWH nearby and it was a great show. Watson Park is slightly lower but I think the view should still be good.

-Nat

[Jeannine Stergios]

They've put several picnic tables at Watson Park recently and were even considerate enough to place one for the handocapped near the parking area.

It's starting to look like a real park now. Adding a bandstand like the one in Abbie Griffith would be a great idea.

I'm not sure that you will see the fireworks from there unless you move at least 100 feet away from the road. There are some pretty tall trees and on Woodbury that might block the view and a pretty tall one where my office is located. If you can see them from there then that would be a great place for viewing.

[Linda Nickerson]

We used to view the Fireworks from the parking lot at Dr. Warguska's when the kids got older.......it was a great view and WAY easier to leave when they were done!

[andysinnh]

Last night we, along with many other families, tried watching the fireworks from down in the recently-opened Watson Park. And I have to say it was an excellent venue to watch the fireworks! Great vantagepoint for viewing the fireworks themselves, a lot of open space for kids to play beforehand, and very easy egress when leaving after the grand finale! I was a little concerned about potental light-wash from the street lights, but they never really came into play. The only really noticible lights were Jeannine's spotlights shining from above onto the caboose and parking lot - but even those brighter ones never really came into play.

Hope everyone had a great 4th!

andy

[munkyMcgee]

We also watched the Watson Park... it was great. Wide open skies, easy to get into. Top that with an ice cream from Swan... it was a perfect night! Hope everyone had a safe holiday.