Well, we did go to the Tempe fireworks, and they turned out to be quite nice. (Aside from being hot enough to have sweat trickling down my back even while sitting still.) Getting in and out was slow, of course, but not nearly the nightmare I’d been afraid it would be. The fireworks themselves can only be described as excessive -- which is no bad thing.
The show was about 40 minutes long. During the fireworks of my childhood, a grand finale was an absolute necessity because, if you didn’t know one was coming, the long gaps between explosions could lead you to think the show was over any number of time. Last night, on the other hand, fireworks were launched every few seconds (the launching had to have been automated) and there were at least three points when the sparks flew so think and fast that I thought it was the grand finale. I must confess that after about 20 minutes of this, I lapsed into a pyrotechnic-induced coma and sat there with slack jaw mumbling, "Ooh. Ahh. That was a good one!" at random intervals.
We’d about a half-mile walk from the parking lot. Not too bad in the heat, because we got there at dusk, and there was a breeze. There were people lining both sides of the river, not too unpleasantly densely, and we should have stayed there and brought a cooler. We’d decided to check out the official ($8) fair, though, which only allowed you to bring in water. It was actually hotter once we got in the fair area, because the bridges, structures, tents, and people blocked the breezes. I was comfortable walking down, but had sweat trickling down my back once we staked out a spot and spread the blanket.
The fair wasn’t particularly exciting; the rides were all for kids and the music wasn’t great. The fireworks were supposed to be choreographed to "patriotic music". I must say, I didn’t know that "Surfin’ USA", "My Boyfriend’s Back", and the Happy Days theme qualified as patriotic.
Here is the crowning outrage and the real reason that next year I will bring a cooler and watch from outside. They had the food/beer area cordoned off and were requiring adults to show ID. However, kids under 12 could go in with parent or guardian. I’m not sure why ID was required, as this was where the food tents, as well as the beer one, were located. They also gave adults a tape bracelet, to allow purchase of beer; I have a feeling that the ID was supposed to be shown to get that. I didn’t know ID would be required, and hadn’t wanted to carry a purse, so I didn’t bring any; they were asking to see some for anyone under 35. Now, I should mention I am 34, so it’s not like I’m borderline on drinking age. One guard would not let me through, not after I offered to show her my wrinkles, not after I pointed out that I was with my husband. But she let a 12-year-old through with his parents! I am not sure why a parent would outrank a spouse, as a chaperone for a drinking area. I would have been willing to just not get a bracelet and not drink, but that option wasn’t offered.
We finally gave up and just went to another entrance, with a more reasonable guard, and got in with no problems. The system was clearly fucked; since it was (supposedly) only 12-and-under children who could enter with parents, I’m still not sure how teenagers were supposed to get in to get food. I have a feeling ID was supposed to be shown to get beer bracelets, not just to enter, and that the guards were confused. Small comfort.
Posted by dichroic at July 5, 2001 08:31 AM