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Fireworks, Friendships Fuel A Festive Fourth

Magda Lena Griffel | July 11th, 2024

Fireworks, Friendships Fuel A Festive Fourth

Culture & Community  |  East Rock  |  Arts & Culture  |  Youth Arts Journalism Initiative  |  Wilbur Cross High School

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Rachel Heuer, Ravindra Gudneppanavar, and Emanuela Bruscia. Magda Lena Griffel Photos.

Rachel Heuer, Ravindra Gudneppanavar, and Emanuela Bruscia sat with crossed legs, eating their dinner with an enviable view of the summit of East Rock. Fireworks would be launching any moment. Despite national political tensions that all of them could feel, the friends were there to have a good time.

Covered with picnic blankets, the entire Wilbur Cross Athletic Field contained a palpable sense of unity on the Fourth of July. No matter people’s political leanings, whether they were decked out with flags or not, everyone was there for one simple reason.

“We’re here to see some fireworks,” said Brenda H., another attendee, speaking for the crowd.

The annual fireworks display attracted people from all over New Haven and beyond. This year, it started at 9 p.m. and lasted 25 minutes, although the celebrations started well before.

“In New Haven we do it right by having the fireworks on the Fourth of July, and as everyone here knows it is one of the most exciting events of the year,” Mayor Justin Elicker said in a press conference the previous Monday. The show included 700 shells of fireworks and cost $30,000 dollars.

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Mitchell Broson and Olivia Canevari drove in from Derby and Glastonbury respectively. They wanted to see the fireworks on the Fourth, and although New Britain had its display on the same day, they chose to make the trip to New Haven.

“You know, it’s a good time to have life stop for a moment,” Broson said. It’s both of their first times seeing the fireworks in New Haven.

New Haveners Bel and Ed, sitting in lawn chairs just behind the field, make coming to see the fireworks an annual tradition.

“It’s a chance to celebrate independence, and the freedom we have,” said Bel.

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Bel and Ed.

For others on the field, coming to the fireworks was a spontaneous way to extend other celebrations. “It’s my sister's birthday,” Brenda H. said with a smile, with her kids on either side of her. Brenda noted that since parking is a big issue, they hadn’t seen the fireworks before. This year, they were able to make it.

Katie French, on a picnic blanket nearby, also brought her family (her son did not want to be photographed, but was also present). She’s always associated the Fourth of July with “really good memories from when I was a kid. I used to watch them with my grandparents.” This year is the first year her family has come since they had kids.

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Katie French and her family. 

For Heuer, Gudneppanavar, and Bruscia this holiday also encourages reflection.

When asked what the holiday means to her, Heuer laughed a little. “That’s a tough one this year,” she said. “I’m not crazy happy about this country at the moment.” Politically, she’s unsure about where things are headed.

Still, she said, this is a “chance to hang out.”

“It’s fun. I’m here with my boss,” laughed Gudneppanavar and looked to Bruscia, sitting on the picnic blanket next to him.

For Bruscia, a naturalized citizen, the Fourth of July is a reminder. Having lived in the U.S. for many years since immigrating from Italy, she’s realized that the holiday has a lot of significance in this country. “I hope it stays that way,” she added.

As the mayor made his final announcements and began the countdown, the floodlights shut off abruptly and the crowd gasped together, looking towards the East Rock summit. The fireworks were beginning.

This article comes from the 2024 Cohort of the Youth Arts Journalism Initiative. Magda Lena Griffel is a recent graduate of Wilbur Cross High School, where she edited the school newspaper, and is headed to Columbia University in the fall.