Red, White and Boom!
By Bram Fulk
Now that the last day of June has been ripped off of the old desk calendar, it’s time for our great nation to once again punch its biological clock (so to speak) and celebrate our independence in the best way we know how: blowing stuff up! It’s what we do, and man, are we good at it.
Save for the two-and-a-half-month-long celebration that is Christmas, there really is no holiday so lovingly embraced across the country as our nation’s birthday — July 4th — the day that has been set aside to mark our independence. And just as Christmas is not Christmas without a well-lit spruce, the Fourth isn’t the Fourth without fireworks.
Every city, town, village, berg, and backwoods communal gathering across this great nation celebrates the occasion with some form of explosive display. Whether the display is great — like the Macy’s fireworks show in New York City — or small — cousin Earl blowing up gasoline-filled milk jugs with a shotgun in the back yard — fireworks long ago solidified their place as the one, true way of celebrating the Fourth. Luckily for everyone who finds themselves in Columbus this Independence Day Eve, Ohio’s Capital boasts one of the most impressive fireworks celebrations in the Midwest.
For 28 years, Red, White and BOOM! has treated the people of the Buckeye State to a Fourth of July filled with food, fun, and, of course, fireworks. While Red, White and BOOM! is a central Ohio summertime classic, there are a few slight modifications to this year’s event from those of years past. Lindsey Weiker of Promotions One (the company that puts on the big bash) wants everyone to know that, while the technicalities may have changed, the potential for fun and entertainment has stayed the same.
“It’s changed a lot this year,” says Weiker. “First of all, the Scioto mile construction project going on on Civic Center Drive has forced us to move the firing site...it’s now at Veteran’s Memorial.”
Weiker points out that, while the fireworks can be viewed from Bicentennial Park, there will no longer be entertainment at that location. In addition to the WNCI Long Street Stage, this year’s BOOM will feature the WCOL Taste of BOOM! Stage and the Radio 106.7 Genoa Park Stage. Between the three locations, BOOM-goers will be able to see performances by Fatkid Dodgeball, Lt. Dan’s New Legs, The Big Spank, Craig McMullen, and Focus, to name a few.
What about the parking situation? Has the construction and the subsequent location shift affected the parking? According to Weiker, not really.
“Parking really hasn’t changed,” she says. “There will be lots located everywhere — parking garages. On Veteran’s Memorial — a lot of people think it’s completely closed. The actual building is closed, but you’ll still be able to park in certain areas of it. [Vet’s Memorial’s parking lot] will be open prior to 7 p.m. [but] no in and out privileges between 7 and 11 p.m. because of the fireworks.”
The big question, though, is what’s in store for the main event. What will the fireworks display itself be like this year?
“The fireworks show has changed a little bit. It’s not, like, bigger or smaller or longer or anything like that,” explains Weiker, “but it’s going to be a little different because, in the past, they haven’t been able to shoot them from the roof of COSI, but this year — what we’re going to do — it’s going to be three-tiered, and what I mean by that is that they’re going to be shooting them from the roof at Veteran’s Memorial, the ground, and then the lower bike trail by the river. So it’s going to be different levels.”
In addition to all of the content changes, it’s worth pointing out that this year’s BOOM! will be the first event held in Columbus of this magnitude to make an attempt at going green. In partnership with Rumpke, Red, White and BOOM! will have a multitude of recycling bins located around the event grounds in an attempt to cut down on the monumental amount of garbage waste produced from this year’s celebration.
What is it about blowing stuff up that makes celebrating our nation’s Independence all the more enjoyable? Are fireworks just some kind of shiny distraction to take our minds off of everything that’s going on? It doesn’t matter; it’s our party, and watching controlled, non-lethal explosions in the sky is accompanied by a feeling of innocent wonder not too easily found in this day and age. So head on down to the riverfront for Red, White and BOOM! and enjoy the popping, fizzing, fiery candles of our nation’s birthday cake.
For more information, check out www.redwhiteandboom.org.
Originally Published: Issue 657 - July 2, 2008
 |
Share on Facebook |
