Philly's delayed late-night fireworks were prompted by safety and weather concerns, city says
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Philadelphia's late-night fireworks display was prompted by concerns over safety and a poor long-range weather outlook, city officials said Sunday morning, as work crews were busy cleaning up Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway from the July Fourth celebration.
A massive Liberty Bell display still hung over the stage near the Philadelphia Art Museum, where hours earlier Meek Mill, Will Smith, and backing band the Roots were the last to perform at the One Philly: Unity Concert for America. Gone were the fireworks and revelers, but the white tents, chain-link fencing, and long rows of porta-potties were reminders of a concert that lasted until nearly 2:45 a.m.
It wasn't supposed to go that long. But a summer storm around 9 p.m. rolled in with intense wind gusts, rain, and lightning, leading the city to evacuate the Parkway.
The city didn't have an official number, but estimated that "thousands" of concertgoers returned, just after midnight, to get the party started again. So did the performers, with the exception of Christina Aguilera.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said she trusted the experts and welcomed people back to the concert venue once it was safe.
"I want to thank the Roots and all of their incredible guests for their relentless energy and for delivering an incredibly inspiring performance worthy of America's 250th birthday," Parker said in a Sunday news release.
The decision to proceed with the fireworks was made by city experts, led by Managing Director Adam K. Thiel, and the mayor was informed, said Parker spokesperson Joe Grace.
The weather forecast factored into the decision, Grace said. The city will be under a flood watch starting at 2 p.m., and rain and storms are likely over the next 10 days, so postponing the fireworks to another day did not make sense, he said.
"Once fireworks are loaded, they cannot be safely unloaded," Grace said. "From a safety and operational standpoint, completing the fireworks display was the right decision."
Some detractors of the late fireworks display turned to online forums to complain about the noise.
"Ok so I wasn't dreaming. I was actually awakened by an officially sanctioned fireworks display at 2:30 a.m.," one Reddit user wrote.
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Mykola Kosyk of Fairmount said it was disappointing that the city waited until nearly 3 a.m. - far too late for children - for a show that lasted only about 10 minutes.
"It was the worst fireworks display ever," Kosyk said. He called it a "basic display" that wasn't on par with the historical significance of the Semiquincentennial.
Kosyk says he collects fireworks memorabilia dating back to the 1800s, and he and his wife travel the state visiting fireworks displays. He said the company putting on the show, Pyrotecnico, is "well-renowned," and he blamed the city for not planning a better show.
As the smoke from the fireworks show settled around 3 a.m., the city's Department of Sanitation sent out approximately 100 laborers and 50 trucks to clean up the Ben Franklin Parkway and the surrounding area, the city said in the news release.
By morning, much of the mess was gone. Security magnetometers sat in a pile, ready to be picked up and taken away, while dozens of staff from Imperial Events Services worked to keep runners and curious onlookers out of what was supposed to be a secure area.
"The joggers are mad at us," said one staffer, as his team found a gap in the fence that allowed people into the closed-off area.
One visitor was disappointed that the stage breakdown temporarily blocked the front of the Art Museum.
"We want to see the Rocky steps, but we can't," said Angelika Gamez, who flew in from Bogota, Colombia, for the France-Paraguay soccer match Saturday.
Still, Gamez said her visit to Philly was amazing, weather aside.
"It was very hot. In Colombia, we don't have seasons like this."
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