West Michigan's Morning News
Grand Rapids Fireworks
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So it is Saturday night, Steve. That way everybody can enjoy the fireworks in their local neighborhoods or communities. And then we'll have the big show in downtown Grand Rapids on Saturday the 6th. The festivities begin with the National Anthem at 6 o'clock and then DJ Cap position will take the stage and play our favorite songs. At 8 o'clock, funkel, Jesse is going to play. It's a live band. They're really fun. Bad. Yeah. And then the fireworks will begin promptly at 10.30. So we're excited about this year's show and thank you to Soring Eagle Casino and Resort and Meyer Gentax Experience Grand Rapids and the Redwater Restaurant Group for all helping us put this on. We're very excited and it's going to be a heck of a good show. There's a lot to put on too. It's so much more than just the fireworks. I mean, this is family fun. The kids are going to have things to do. You've got a great setup at Anabawan Park. The whole day looks pretty great. Yep. The weather is going to be fantastic. It looks like it's going to be a highest 75 and sunny. So that's going to be good. What we do have, we have kids' activities. We've got food vendors. There's all kinds of different things for people to do and then obviously the entertainment is as well. You know, a couple of little housekeeping items, please remember to keep your fireworks at home. No sparklers, no firecrackers and no alcohol at this event. This is a family-friendly event. And the other thing is we're asking people to leave their pets at home as well. Every year, somebody wants to bring their snake or their dog or their cat and we have to pull them aside and say, hey, you know what, we need you to take your animal home. It's just not a safe place. There's just way too many people down there. So Russ, with the center of being at Anabawan Park for people that are familiar with that, where's the best suggestions too for parking and everything? Well, the good thing is that we'll have all of the ramps open to downtown until probably about 8.30 and that's when we'll close down Pearl Street so that people can start going on to the Pearl Street Bridge as well as the Michigan Bridge. So all of the ramps downtown will be available. And that's my first suggestion, you know. And then there's lots of parking over by the Y as well. So it's just a short jot right across over to Anabawan Park. Restaurants are going to be slammed, get a reservation. Yep. If you think you want to be at one that takes a reservation. Otherwise, I mean, let's just all be polite, can't we all just get along and it's going to be, there's not a bad viewing. It's way up above the buildings so no matter where you are downtown, you're going to see the things but you mentioned best vantage points obviously because it's originating from the river somewhere looking back toward the river. Correct. So we'll actually shoot the fireworks from the Gillette Bridge and so if you're on the Blue Bridge, if you're at Sixth Street Park, if you're on Michigan on the bridge, if you're on Pearl Street, Pearl Street is probably the busiest place but there is a lot of space throughout downtown for you to find a spot for your family with your chairs or your blanket and you know, we encourage people, you can bring your picnic baskets and things like that. Just don't bring big coolers and remember that they are subject to search. Right. They will be able to go, no glass bottles, no glass, no smoking, the bikes and the scooters will be turned off inside the zone of where the fireworks are going to be occurring at so that we don't have any, we don't have to worry about anybody getting injured. And it doesn't cost you a penny. It is free. Well, I mean it costs you a while I cost it costs our sponsors a lot of money in order to put it out. Let me tell you it. It's free to the public. Not sparing any expense because over the years and annually, the tradition even before you started with it, the Grand Rapids fireworks are the fireworks. You got to check them out. We try really, really hard, Brett. I've been working with the same vendor for a lot of years now and every year we talk about tweaking things a little bit and making it a little bit better and that kind of thing and this year should be no exception. Last question we brought up before bottom of the hour news. How do you know when to say ooh and how do you know when to say ah, is there an official handbook on this thing? You know, I think it's up to the individual, Steve. I really think it's up to the individual. Are you running for office? As I stand there and watch people, especially little kids, it's so much fun to watch the little kids as their eyes just get so big and they're just so excited. And then watching Grandma, Grandpa, watch the little kids. That's like my favorite thing to sort of walk around and keep an eye on that kind of stuff. Russ Hines, riverbank events and media. Great stuff as always. Thank you. See you downtown.