The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Independence Day carnival
Annnual event concluded with fireworks
TORRINGTON — Before the big show lit up the sky over Torrington Middle School on Friday night, there was lots of fun taking place on one of the playing fields at the school.
Sure, it was a few days after the fact (July 4), but hundreds of people enjoyed nonetheless, taking part in the city’s annual Independence Day celebration that included a carnival with rides, games, entertainment and food. It was a lead-up to a fireworks display staged by Zambelli Fireworks of New Castle, Pa.
Brett Simmons, superintendent of Torrington Parks and Recreation, said the fireworks usually attract between 4,000 and 5,000 people to the hilltop location, which offers several fine viewing areas, even beyond the campus of the school.
“The weather forecast was touch and go earlier this week,” Simmons said, while he spoke with volunteers manning the entry to the school Friday afternoon. “We thought of perhaps pushing it to Saturday, but the fireworks company said they thought it would be clear for Friday night and we gave the go ahead.”
Indeed, rain soaked the area Friday morning and a bit into the afternoon, but a cool front blew in and made the fireworks company’s call correct.
Simmons said the celebration to honor our country’s birthday involves much planning before and coordination on the day of the event. It also isn’t cheap, costing around $30,000 to pull off, about half of that being taken up by the cost of the fireworks display.
Some of the expense of the event is offset by fundraising activities and parking fees. A portion of the cost is included in various department budgets, and city officials help by volunteering their time performing a number of tasks to make the event run smoothly.
While some families set up their fireworks viewing spots early, others milled about the carnival. Vinnie Avallone provided entertainment by playing the guitar and serving as a deejay for the event. Some tried their hand at games of chance, a few coming away with a stuffed animal for their efforts and money, while others enjoyed fried dough and cotton candy.
“I enjoy working the event,” said Francesca Borrelli, who manned a shooting gallery. “It’s fun to see the smiles on the kids’ faces when they win a prize.”
There were plenty of smiles to go around when the sun set and the sky turned dark, allowing a dazzling display of pyrotechnics to proceed, just as it did 242 years ago when the country declared its independence from Great Britain.