The Town of Berlin is sticking to tradition and celebrating Independence Day a day early on July 3 with a fireworks show to begin at 9 p.m.
Fireworks
File photo
By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer
As the Fourth of July nears, Worcester County prepares for festivities, fireworks, and an influx of tourists. Berlin, however, will celebrate American independence one day early.
The Town of Berlin is gearing up to celebrate Independence Day with a fireworks display on Wednesday, July 3, at 9 p.m. The fireworks will be shot at Heron Park. However, unlike in previous years, parking and viewing will not be available at the site due to the ongoing demolition of the abandoned Tyson poultry processing plant at the space’s access point.
Instead, eventgoers can park and watch the show from the Food Lion Shopping Center, the Jack Burbage Cancer Center parking lot, the Barrett Medical Building parking lot, or Sonrise Church, Berlin’s Director of Economic and Community Development Ivy Wells said. Parking is prohibited on Route 50, Route 113, and Old Ocean City Boulevard.
Wells maintained that citizens will also be able to watch the celebratory explosions from the comfort of their homes.
“The event is known as a local event because many of the Berlin residents have backyard parties and barbeques and invite people over, as they can view it from their yards,” she said.
The town guarantees that the fireworks are shot high into the sky so that the show can be seen from various surrounding areas.
“We make sure that … nothing is too low,” Wells said. “There are a lot of people watching. We have a broad perspective of people wanting to watch, so we ensure that everyone has the chance to be able to see them. That people don’t have to watch them on-site is great.”
SkyShooter Displays provides the town with fireworks. Wells said that during the event, she notes the crowds’ loudest cheers at different explosions and ensures that those displays are obtained the following year.
State and local agencies are involved in the event’s planning. According to Wells, the town creates a list of the expected fireworks and a perimeter of the safe viewing locations. The Berlin Fire Company signs off on it and the state then approves it. The Berlin Police Department is also onsite to maintain safety during the celebration.
“We are here to secure the actual venue and make sure no one gets inside to where the fireworks will be lit,” Berlin Chief of Police Arnold Downing said. “We also want to make sure no one is stopping in the middle of the highway.”
For fireworks safety, Downing recommends finding a protected location to watch the display. The good thing, he said, is the show will be viewable from nearly every spot in town.
The police chief also notes that lighting off your own fireworks is prohibited. The department strongly enforces the rule.
Downing maintained that as the weather stays warm, protecting yourself and your possessions remains imperative and urges residents to consider the “nine o’clock check.”
“The summer is when everyone is out and moving,” he said. “A lot of people leave things open, and individuals walk by and take things. Before you go to bed, make sure house doors, car doors, and garages are all locked. In the summertime, we get breezes you would never get in Salisbury, so on a nice day, it is great to open your house’s windows. A lot of people will leave their house that way. But even for a short time, you must remember to close them to avoid people walking by and taking belongings. Historically, it’s a big thing.”
Berlin’s Fourth of July event is sponsored by Maryland Cooperative Broadband and Sonrise Church, which hosts a celebration on July 3 on its grounds on the north side of Route 50.
“The night brings the locals together to celebrate as a community without having to fight the crowds and traffic of going to another location, and it’s fun for all ages,” Wells said.