Fireworks and Fun in the CLE!

For the longest time, the Fourth of July was my absolute favorite holiday! Remember the days of Edgewater Park Fireworks in Cleveland? Those are the days I am referring to.

My aunt lived in walking distance from Edgewater Beach so most of my aunts, uncles and cousins would go hang out at her house all day. We enjoyed outdoor fun, yummy cookout food and most importantly spending time with our ginormous family!

Everyone on the street seemed to know each other and we would jump around to different people’s houses to take in their celebrations. Oh the advantages of being in a close knit neighborhood.

I guess you could say it was a the 4th was a big ole block party well before that was a thing.

Then we would then spend about an hour getting everyone changed, sprayed for bugs, grab the blankets and then walk at least 25 people deep over to the big show.

The walk was just a short 10 minute to the beach and we thought we were the bees knees walking in the street and then across the highway.

I remember one year I was looking down at the ground and found a $20 bill. I thought is was the coolest thing to happen to me. The term watch your step took on a whole new meaning for my cousins from that point on.

Once we got to the beach, my dad was in charge of looking over the sea of people that were there to find the spot that our family would claim as their own. Never close to the beach though.

When I was really young I remember there were trucks, I believe from the local radio, station that would play music to the fireworks which add a little gravitas.

We would then watch in wonder hoping to see our favorite fireworks which we named the little spermies and weeping willows and taking the colorful scenes above Lake Erie.

I especially loved when they were loud, like the type of loud you feel in your chest.  I still do, if there are no big booms, the show is a dud in my opinion.

We would sit watching, obnoxiously oohing and aahing at my mother’s lead. She loved to be the most obnoxious one in the crowd. I actually think she just enjoyed embarassing us and being a fairly shy kid, it was very easy for her to do. However, it just became a tradition. Everything about that day did.

Now what made this evening even better was the post firework fireworks. OH MY GOODNESS, they knew how to make a 4th party last in our little zone on 91st street!

Many of the neighbors had probably not-so- legal fireworks that they would blow off. The goal for many of us and certainly for us kids was to get the street light to go out. Now we were not able to handle the fireworks we just watched the show. And the neighbor always brought over sparklers for us kids to enjoy.

Once the traffic died down, we were off on our way home. We were dead tired and content with another year in the books.

This tradition lasted from as young as a I can remember through sometime in college. It provided us so much: The sense of community, the sense of family, and the sense of pride. Everything about this day was the best of what we were and could be.

Cleveland sadly stopped having it at the beach. They wanted to move the show downtown. I never went but my understanding is that is just isn’t quite as good as it was was over there off the beach. I honestly don’t think it would ever be as good as it was even if they moved it back, HOWEVER, it would likely be a better venue that the others.

Ever since then the 4th just has not been the same. I have gone to several other places to celebrate but they just could didn’t live up to the days of Edgewater Beach fireworks.

What are your 4th of July traditions or favorite memories?

The great thing about this year is that the 4th was on a Thursday and a lot of places closed down through Monday so it is a long weekend. Even if you still have to work on Friday, the city will be energerized with that Holiday weekend vibe. 

I am excited about all of the options out there and wanted to compile a list for you to use too. Sifting through everything can be daunting. So as this is not an all-inclusive list, this does have several ideas. I personally have several cookouts going on but I will want to find something to do to embrace the weekend.

Places to Go in Cleveland this weekend 7/5-7/7

• 7/6 – Civil War Concert Series in MENTOR – Free
• 7/7 – Richmond Heights Family Day at Cummunity park – Free
• 7/6-7/7  – Luvin Lavender-Lavender Festival – Madison
• 7/6 – Larchmere Festival in Cleveland
• 7/5-7/7  – Grindstone Festival at Coe Lake in Berea
• 7/6-7/7 – Independence Weekend Float in Cuyahoga Falls – tickets avail at floattheriver.net
• 7/5-7/6 – Rib, White and Blue in Akron
• All weekend Various All Star Week events – Go to the MLB website for more info. https://www.mlb.com/all-star
• 7/6 – Kenny Lofton at Captians Stadium
• 7/5 – 7/7 – Fairport Harbor Mardis Gras with fireworks on 7/7

No matter what you do, make sure to have fun, put on sunscreen and please be careful.

What are your plans this weekend?