Fireworks

Everybody loves a good fireworks display. But the traffic going there and especially going home can be challenging. In fact, fireworks shows probably have the highest driving time to actual entertainment time ratio of any American entertainment event. You’d better really like fireworks, and, more importantly, you’d better really like those people you’re with, ‘cause you’ve gotta get there early to get a good viewing spot and you’re gonna be stuck in traffic for a long time afterwards.

So, yeah, we had a fantastic fireworks show this year. The grand finale was by far the best part of the show. You've never seen so much light in the sky. Interestingly, some people got up and left when they recognized that the grand finale was starting so they could get a jump on traffic. This likely results in conversations the next day something like this: “How were the fireworks?” “Not sure, but we got home in record time.” 

The solution for these Woodstock-esque traffic snarls after the fireworks displays would be to institute what I’ve named “The Fireworks Encore”. I’m not sure why this has not been tried. The plan would lure at least some of the people into staying for an added performance, much like a concert. You simply hold back 5% or so of the fireworks and shoot them off sporadically about three minutes after the grand finale. And of course there are no house lights to turn on so you never really know when it’s fully over. Thus, people leave at a more staggered, leisurely pace and hopefully nobody misses the grand finale. I think this is a win-win. 

By the way, we walked to the fireworks this year. I never once got flipped off.