By Richard Kaufman
Sentinel Reporter
As the summer continues to progress, the town of Greenwich is ready to celebrate another Independence Day.
On the Fourth, there will be an event in front of Town Hall to raise a replica of the original Betsy Ross American flag. Attendees can also watch Greenwich Scouts parade the flags of the 13 colonies, salute veterans who gave their lives in the Revolutionary War, and honor senior citizens who are descendants of Greenwich’s founding families.
Twenty-four citizenship awards will be handed out to Greenwich students who were selected by their schools as outstanding citizens. “It’s all capped off with birthday cake, so it doesn’t get better than that,” said Ed Dadakis, master of ceremonies.
Dadakis, who’s participating in his second flag-raising ceremony, enjoys honoring the veteran ancestors of current Greenwich residents.
“One of the really cool things for me is recognizing in the audience ancestors of those people from Greenwich who fought in the Revolutionary War,” he said. “I can’t imagine a whole lot of Fourth of July celebrations around America have ancestors from people who fought in the Revolutionary War. It’s kind of cool.”
Dedakis credits Bea Crumbine, Ambassador-at-Large to the town of Greenwich, with coming up with the flag raising ceremony more than a decade ago. This will be the 13th annual event.
“We are pleased that over the 13 years in which this ceremony has taken place on July 4, many families have begun to build this into their holiday schedule, realizing it’s important for Greenwich children and their families to understand what it’s like to be growing up in what was a very intriguing colonial town,” Crumbine said.
There will also be sing-a-longs, and each attendee will get a small American flag to waive around as well as a copy of the Declaration of Independence. “It’s just a very special morning and I think a great way to start celebrating America’s birthday,” Dadakis said.
But what’s a celebration of America’s birthday without fireworks? On Saturday, July 2, for the eleventh consecutive year, the town will put on fireworks displays in Binney Park and Greenwich Point Park. The Binney Park show is scheduled to start at approximately 9:10 p.m., with Greenwich Point Park beginning around 9:35 p.m.
Anyone planning to attend either display, especially Greenwich Point Park, is urged to arrive early.
The rules for Greenwich Point access will be the same as usual. The park will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at 8:30 p.m., regardless if the parking capacity has been reached. Extra handicapped parking will be available.
Tailgating will not be permitted in the Greenwich Point parking lots during and after the display, but cooking will be allowed in designated picnic areas at town owned grills. Glassware is not permitted within 200 feet of the beach, and swimming will not be allowed after sunset.
The town’s beach hotline can be reached at (203) 622-7855 should residents inquire about any beach closings. “Our beach [water] testing has been coming out pretty clean so far this year,” said Michael Long, Director of Environmental Services.
Guests will not be allowed to bring in any outside fireworks or sparklers.
A disc jockey, who will be stationed near the South Concession area, will provide entertainment beginning at 7 p.m. Certain areas of the park will be closed to the public, and detours will be set up for anyone who chooses to walk the park during the day.
Wesskum Wood Road will be closed for the Binney Park show by early evening. Handicapped parking will be made available on Binney Park Drive near the tennis courts. Grills, cooking and open fires will be prohibited and no outside fireworks or sparklers are allowed. Music will be provided by the Sound Beach Community Band starting at 7:30 p.m. by the flag pole on Sound Beach Ave.
People who choose to bring pets to Binney Park must leash them, although it’s recommended to leave them home.
