No Fireworks on the Beach on the Fourth…Again
Some years ago, the City of Santa Monica staged a magnificent, spectacular fireworks show on the beach north of the Santa Monica Pier every Fourth of July.
It was one of those glorious Southern California moments that became legendary, But the City decreed that it was too much trouble, and, in the bizarre belief that would-be trouble-makers would still be in bed dawn, it moved the fireworks to dawn on the Fourth of July. and called it “Dawn’s Early Light.”
But, of course, would-be trouble-makers and almost everyone else stayed up all night.
After a couple of dawns, the City bosses, who have never been big on fun, canceled the legendary show on the beach, and began to collaborated with Santa Monica College on a pallid little show in Corsair Field – miles from the beach – that has never been held on the fourth Of July.
This week, among the City’s “Hot Topics,” was a tepid little item reminding us that “ amateur fireworks are illegal in the city and that there are no fireworks displays at the Pier, on the beach or in the city during the Fourth of July weekend.
“Santa Monica residents and visitors are invited to celebrate the Fourth of July at ‘Celebrate America,’ Santa Monica College’s entertainment and fireworks show on June 28th and participate in the Ocean Park Association’s parade down Main Street starting at 9:30 a.m. on July 4th.”
Does City Hall really believe that fireworks on the beach on the Fourth of July do more damage to our environment than its own wholesale removal of trees and its aggressive economic polices that have elevated our daily transient population to 300,000?
I BELIVE THIS IS JUST PLAIN DUMB, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO VIEWING THE FIREWORK SHOW AT SANTA MONICA. IF THEY WOULD HELD THE SHOW THERE THIS WOULD BRING MORE TOURISTS AND MONEY TO THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA O WELL…
I remember my childhood in the 80s in LA and that included going to Santa Monica beach to view the fireworks with family and neighbors. It was the perfect ending to a day at the beach and a family picnic. I’ve since gone away for school and now live and work out of the country in Asia and am marrying someone from England. I’m returning to LA for my wedding next year. I thought it would be great to invite friends I’ve made from around the country and the world to Los Angeles, CA and return to the traditions of my youth to share with my fiance and my friends. I”m encouraging travellers to stay in Santa Monica at the many fine hotels there and was going to have the rehearsal dinner by the beach with a view of the famous July 4th fireworks…only to find out that this wonderful tradition I was so excited to share with guests from Europe and Asia..is no longer. What a shame! How things have changed and not for the better.
yjhSdd comment4 ,
Someone forgot to inform KPCC; they just mentioned the fireworks on the pier tonight. I’m glad I stopped to log on one more news site before heading down to the beach.
santa monica authorities are a bunch of pompous, sanctimonious, ascetic, hypocritical, gestapo, demagogues. i guess they also figure they’re trying their twisted damnedest to take our liberties away, so why should they permit us to celebrate them, even as they dwindle before our eyes. the celebration of liberty is one more liberty for them to illegalize. so much for the pursuit of happiness in sanctimonious santa monica.
As a former resident of Huntington Beach now living in SM I rate today’s parade PATHETIC. Not even a high school marching band? No music. Nothing but people walking down the center on Main while other people watch. This city is such a disappointment in its culture. They sure don’t make People’s Republics like they use to.
Well, what do you expect with the TOO hard core non smoking laws, and gestapomonica. Take heart, when Santa Monica goes broke from no business my friends, the laugh will be with us, and on them!
Well, I am a tourist! My daughter and myself have already booked a place to stay, and we were looking forward to the long weekend in our favorite city to visit. Until now! It’s just crazy not to have fireworks on the fourth of July! Now I am online, trying to find somewhere else to go! Good luck
I remember the last few evening 4th of July fireworks displays on the beach in Santa Monica; I usually watched them from Palisades Park, on Ocean Avenue. The traffic jams had become horrific, and, worst of all, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles were absolutely unable to move anywhere close to the viewing sites. During the last such evening display, I was watching from Palisades Park near San Vicente Blvd (across the street from the apartment where I was living at the time), and terminally stupid people “having fun” set fire to the brush at the base of the hillside there. Fortunately there was a fire truck stationed on the coast highway very near that location, and after 20 very frightening minutes were able to bring the flames under control. This type of incident was not unusual during the fireworks displays, and I was very glad that the City decided they had to stop hosting what had become virtually a riot situation.
The Dawn’s Early Light celebrations were fun, and although the crowds got fairly large, they seemed less dangerous. But the problem in that case was that the (almost guaranteed) fog in the morning near July 4 meant that viewers only oot to see the glow of fireworks through the thick fog and low clouds. It is unfortunate that we can’t have fireworks displays here as we once did, but the crush of the millions who wanted to come here to see them made the situation impossible.
Back down memory lane. Yes, in the 80′s the fireworks at dawn was a special treat for myself & my young son. As a single Mom, I had to be creative, frugal and well fun! We pack up our Hyundai with blankets, hot chocolate, beach chairs in the wee morning from Monrovia to Santa Monica. Believe me folks, it was priceless, to look over and see my son’s face, looking up to the sky, with his mouth slightly open.. WOW!!!!
Why can’t we petition for these fireworks to resume? It was such a wonderful display and we had fun sitting on the beach waiting for them. I never found the crowds to be unruly, nor did I see any problems the entire time. I was there for several hours before hand and after. Just because one place had a problem ONE TIME, let’s be honest here, why punish all for a few? There’s traffic going to Disneyland and other venues as well, so get over the traffic part. Also it is known there are far more problems at controlled venues, so why use one occasion to cancel all future events? We should commence with Dawn’s Early Light again, possibly with more police or volunteer police to assist in dealing with the few!