Last week, Shelton residents and visitors from other towns were spectators to the city’s annual fireworks display at the Riverwalk. Those who were first timers to the show might have been a little surprised to see not one but two fireworks displays – at the same time.
Yet again, Shelton and Derby scheduled their shows for the same day and began setting off fireworks at roughly the same time. Many spectators could be seen turning from the Shelton display, set off at the far end of the Riverwalk towards the Route 8 bridge, to the Derby display which appeared to be set off from that city’s Riverwalk along Route 34.
I know Shelton and Derby are supposed to be mortal enemies and all that, but this is not football; it is fireworks for the 4th of July. Can’t we all just get along?
As in: Can’t both towns work out an arrangement where the dual shows are combined into a single display rather than two at the same time, year in and year out?
A combined Shelton/Derby show would likely help both towns save money if each town were paying half the total cost, while still providing the same quality display people expect to see.
And since a combined display would need to be set off at a point where both towns could see, for instance the Housatonic River, the viewing area on the Riverwalk could be expanded. Given how crowded the area was this year, with spectators practically sitting on top of one another, that is a move that is certainly worth looking into regardless.
Surely such an arrangement could at least be explored, and potentially put into place, by the time next year’s shows roll around.
