Comments on: No Fireworks on the Beach on the Fourth…Again

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:22:34 +0000

I saw the Dawn’s Early Light show unexpectedly while traveling to Santa Monica in the late 1980′s. . . it was the best fireworks experience I have ever had! Too bad they don’t still do that. I would come down from the Bay Area for it.

By: Joe Pearson

Joe Pearson — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 22:29:43 +0000

I walked down to SM from my place in Venice Beach many times for the show near the pier.
Always a great time, however, I recall it being pretty scary down in and among the thousands on the beach. Many, many, many people were lighting off illegal skyrockets and a few were actually launched into the crowd at waist level.
No injuries that I could tell, but it felt like Saigon just before the city fell. I sad that the City cancelled the shows, but not surprised.

By: Diane Finn

Diane Finn — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:34:57 +0000

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!

By: Emma Tamayo

Emma Tamayo — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:12:27 +0000

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!!!!

By: Hugh Massey

Hugh Massey — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:42:13 +0000

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.

By: Dean

Dean — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:19:42 +0000

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

By: Thomas Bond II

Thomas Bond II — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:48:04 +0000

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!

By: Brent

Brent — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:18:14 +0000

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.

By: Guy Fawkes

Guy Fawkes — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:09:48 +0000

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.

By: mark

mark — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:20:50 +0000

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.