Fabulous Fourth

It's not July 4th just yet.  But it's close enough, that here in Bay City, things are already heating up in anticipation of the great fireworks festival. 

The fireworks are a big draw for many in surrounding neighborhoods and cities.  Roads into the city resemble what you see in the photo, at left, and roads out of the city are much the same after the show. 

 

 The aftermath always involves lots of clean-up, because let's face it: people are pigs.  The day after the festival is always a sad one because the park looks a mess, but slowly it is tidied by a battalion of orange-vested city employees who methodically sweep the hillside, picking up the discards of inconsiderate people. 

If you're planning to attend a fireworks festival, here are a few tips:

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  Please use common sense. Sparklers are fun, but when you are elbow to elbow with kith and kin and strangers, don't light them.  No one wants to spend the Fourth of July in the emergency room.
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  Bring a disposable bag for your trash.  Don't be a litter bug. If you find the trash cans are full, you can still tie the handles of your bag shut and leave the trash next to the trash can. 
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  Bring your sun screen.  I know - it's weird, if you plan attending an evening event, to think of sun screen.  However, many people are in the park from afternoon well into the evening. You don't want to get a sunburn. 
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  Bring some snacks.  This is especially helpful if you have kids.  You can always purchase something at the park, or you can pop your own paper grocery sack of popcorn and bring it in for the big event.  Also include some drinks (cans or drink boxes, no alcoholic beverages in the public park). 
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  Know where the toilets are.  Yeah, go ahead and laugh.  But when you're in a sea of people and the kids say, "I gotta go potty!" It's nice to know where you can go.  Many businesses don't want a constant stream of strangers parading through their business in order to use the bathroom, so don't think that you can enter a nearby business and just head for the toilets.  Chances are, you'll be relegated to the long lines at the porta-potties.
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  Bring your hand sanitzer.  I know - it seems ridiculous. But, if you're using a porta-potty, you know how clean those are (read sarcastically) after just a few uses.  Bring your sanitzer, and USE IT.  Soap and water is always best, but in a public park, it can be hard to come by.
• 
  
  Lawn chairs are good, if you plan to be in the park for the long haul, and you're too old and decrepit (I'm decrepit) to spend hours sitting on a blanket on the ground.  Bring what you like - some prefer the light-weight, very portable chairs - others bring more heavy-duty chairs.
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  A jacket or a light-weight blanket is nice.  It's July, it's blazing hot, but it can get cool toward evening, by the water. 
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  Park your car in the direction you want to be going when it's time to leave.  Otherwise, you'll be like a salmon swimming upstream in an endless sea of traffic. 
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  If you're within a few miles of the event, consider walking.  Many people find that walking to and from the big event takes less time than attempting to drive the same distance. 
• Remember your manners! We're all here to have some fun, and it doesn't take that much effort to be considerate of other people.

Have a safe and happy July 4th.