Bridget Wells vowed she would come prepared. Last year, she got a late start and was disappointed when the streets were barricaded around Altamonte Springs’ popular Red, Hot and Boom event, causing her to miss the night’s signature fireworks show,
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So she arrived at 4:30 p.m., a half hour before the Friday event’s posted start time with her future daughter-in-law and a friend, staking out a prime spot within earshot of music playing at the amphitheater and an unobstructed view of the fireworks. They sat in camping chairs under the shade of an umbrella, with two portable fans apiece and a cooler stocked with water and soda. Wells, who lives in Longwood, said she even swung by Friday morning to check out the parking situation and then returned later in the afternoon with the rest of her group.
“We’re expecting to have a really good time, especially since it’s the 250th year for our country,” Wells said.
She and her group were among the first to arrive at the event, though by 6 p.m. thousands of people flooded the streets and sidewalks around Cranes Roost Park. City officials said they anticipated 200,000 people would attend the five-hour event, which included a fireworks show, concert and activities for kids.
The 29th rendition of the event was a hot one: Temperatures were still in the 90s when the festivities kicked off at 5 p.m., with humidity above 60%. Much of the park is unshaded and city officials said they worried about attendees becoming dehydrated. By 6 p.m., a handful of people had taken advantage of an air-conditioned bus intended to help overheated revellers cool down.
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But like Wells, many of those who arrived early were ready to stay cool, with umbrellas, fans, iced drinks and spray bottles.
A few people arrived at the event even before Wells. Kaila Sobol of Deltona and a friend arrived at 1 p.m. so they could secure a front-and-center spot in the amphitheater for the planned performance by country musician Chris Lane, who was set to take stage before the fireworks show. The pair sat in camp chairs shaded by umbrellas and brought their own fans to stay cool. The two were prepared for other types of weather, too, Sobol said, showing off a poncho in her chair’s cupholder.
The two wore sequined red, white and blue cowboy hats and Sobol said she spent $250 on fireworks to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary, though she was saving those for a gathering at a friend’s house on Saturday. The holiday held during a landmark year seemed like it called for a little bigger celebration than usual, she said.
Just after 8, as Lane started to play, people stood shoulder-to-shoulder around the amphitheater and crowds filled the road on the south side of the park. Adults sipped cold drinks and children played with bubbles as the sun went down and they waited for the fireworks to begin. Others gathered on the opposite side of the lake on blankets and beach chairs.
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