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Happy 4th of July 2020 Style

4th of July 2020 Style

Growing up the 4th of July was my very favorite holiday. It was so original and festive on Cape Cod. The parade down Main Street started the day off, led by our own marching band dressed in red band uniforms with navy piping and out in the very front was the band leader dressed in white and a topcoat all trimmed with gold braid and carrying a marching baton. He was our own Music Man. The parade had a theme every year and businesses in town would create a float matching the theme. At the end of the parade, the floats would be judged and ribbons would be given for first through third prize. Clowns would walk the parade length squirting spectators with water from the flower in their lapels. A jalopy chugged down Main Street, would stop and then it would rear up on its back tires just like a rearing horse. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and local summer camps would have small groups marching carrying their insignia banner. It was very festive and a lot of fun and we knew the parade was over when we saw the single fire engine bringing up the rear.

Later on there were pancake and blueberry festivals, speed boat races on the pond my house overlooked, and sailboat races in Stage Harbor. And day ended on the 4th with the first band concert of the summer, the only one that wasn't in the bandstand in the center of town, rather it was at the sports field at the school in town, the one just below the Fire Department. This was followed by fireworks which we all watched lying on blankets facing the sky. It was a truly magical, exciting day.

The 4th of July in 2020 is quite different. Fireworks are all cancelled as are most parades. And festivals are discouraged given the challenges to social distancing. But Peter and I are celebrating our way. First we're watching "Yankee Doodle Dandy" with James Cagney (the patriotic ending always makes us cry). Then we having a 4th of July feast of Alaskan Kin Crab Legs with lemon butter, Roasted Shrimp Louis, Tuna Sashimi and Black Bean and Corn Salad with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette. 

Happy 4th of July everyone. We hope you are being creative in finding safe ways to celebrate our Independence Day!

The Great Bonac Fireworks Show

The Great Bonac Fireworks Show is a 30 year tradition of mid-summer fireworks over Three Mile Harbor in East Hampton, and Peter and I got to see it from his cousin's boat smack-dab in the middle of the harbor - front row center. Originally started in the early 70s by George Plimpton, the late-writer, actor and founder of The Paris Review, for his friends visiting him on the East End, the event was always scheduled for the first Saturday following le quatorze juillet (14th of July a.k.a. Bastille Day) because of his love for Paris. The event soon became public and in 1980, Plimpton partnered with Tony Duke and Felix Grucci, Sr. to have the fireworks benefit the camp, Boys and Girls Harbor, which was founded by Duke. When it was no longer possible to continue the George Plimpton/Boys and Girls Harbor Fireworks event, The Clamshell Foundation took over the event in 2009 renaming it "The Great Bonac Fireworks Show". 

Let me shed a little light on that regional expression, "Bonac" refers to an area of East Hampton called Springs. Bonackers descend from East Hampton's first white settlers, hardy souls who first landed, as lore tells it, at Accabonac Harbor. The harbor's name derives from an Algonquin word for "root place," perhaps somewhere wild potatoes grew, and the community became known as Bonac. Bonackers made their living as baymen*, fishermen, and farmers. 

The Gruccis of New York staged the fireworks production and what a show it was. If you don't know, the Gruccis are a fifth-generation, family-owned and operated company on Long Island, NY that designs, produces, and displays over 300 performances all around the world every year. We loved the show so much, we want to share it with you in its entirety, so here it is in two parts (because of a YouTube restriction). In total its 15 minutes long, so grab a cup of coffee or tea, a coke or perhaps a glass of wine, set the settings to the highest resolution possible and expand it to fit your screen. Now sit back and enjoy, we certainly hope you do.

The Great Bonac Fireworks Show; © Peter Tooker, 2010

 

The Great Bonac Fireworks Show; ©Peter Tooker 2010

* Check out Billy Joel's song Downeaster "Alexa" to hear about these baymen.

 

Fireworks

Crescent Beach on Shelter Island had its summer fireworks last night and weren't we lucky to have been invited over to the island for dinner at the Shelter Island Yacht Club. The temperatures here have dropped some in the past few days, the humidity is slowly falling and after a few rogue showers, the sunset over the harbor was spectacular. 

As dinner wrapped up and we were heading to our cars in the parking lot, the fireworks began, and even though they were on the other side of the island, we were able to see them clearly. Beautiful fireworks, seen from a nearly empty parking lot, with good friends and cameras at hand - it couldn't have been a more delightful end to a very long week.

Here are a couple of snaps I wanted to share before we make a slide show. I hope you enjoy them.

Photos by Claudia Ward, All Rights Reserved

Now off to the beach!