Celebrating with a bang

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Residents line Millville Avenue in Naugatuck last Fourth of July to watch the annual fireworks show held at Naugatuck High School. This year’s show will be held on Rotary Field on Hotchkiss Street due to renovations planned for the high school. –RA ARCHIVE
Residents line Millville Avenue in Naugatuck last Fourth of July to watch the annual fireworks show held at Naugatuck High School. This year’s show will be held on Rotary Field on Hotchkiss Street due to renovations planned for the high school. –RA ARCHIVE

The towns of Naugatuck and Beacon Falls will bookend the Fourth of July with celebrations.

Naugatuck’s annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration will be held July 3 on Maple Street. In years past, the event and fireworks were held at Naugatuck High School. However, since the high school is undergoing renovations the event was moved downtown.

The event begins at 6 p.m. and includes a D.J., food, clowns, magicians and face painting. Admission is free. The evening will culminate with a fireworks display at dark, about 9:15 p.m.

The fireworks are being lit from Rotary Field on Hotchkiss Street. The height of the fireworks will be 300 feet or higher to allow viewing from a distance. The public is also welcome to walk to Breen Field North on Hotchkiss Street to view the fireworks. Breen Field North will open for viewing at 8 p.m. Handicapped parking only will be available in the Breen Field North parking lot, which will also open at 8 p.m.

There will be limited parking available in the General DataComm parking lot on Rubber Avenue entering from Maple Street by Nardelli’s or from Firehouse Road. No parking will be permitted on Maple Street and Water Street to Cedar Street. Water Street will remain open for through traffic until 8 p.m.

There will be no parking allowed on the Salem Bridge (Route 63). Sidewalk standing only will be permitted. No chairs or coolers are permitted on the bridge sidewalk.

Maple Street Bridge and Water Street will close at 8 p.m. Drivers are asked to use an alternative route over the Salem Bridge once streets are closed.

No alcohol is permitted on borough and state property.

The entire event costs about $16,000. The borough is paying $10,000 of that cost, leaving the Parks and Recreation Department to raise the remaining $6,000.

Donations are being accepted and can be sent to 4th of July Fund, Naugatuck Savings Bank, 251 Church St., Naugatuck, CT 06770. Donors can also visit www.naugatuck-ct.gov and follow the link under “Notices and Announcements” to donate through Paypal.

The names of major sponsors, those who donate $250 or more, will be displayed during the festivities and recognized in the local news media.

The rain date for Naugatuck’s event is July 5. For more information, call the Naugatuck Public Works Department at (203) 720-7071. 

On July 6 Beacon Falls will celebrate with a day of family fun.

The day will begin with the town’s inaugural Cardboard Boat Regatta.

Teams of racers can build a boat out of cardboard and race on Carrington Pond at Matthies Park.

The race kicks off at 10 a.m. and will conclude when either the boats navigate the course or the last boat remains floating. Contestants can also win prizes in categories such as best design, best team spirit, largest crew, most outrageous, best boat name and the Andrea Doria award for the best sinking boat.

For more information on the regatta, call Parks and Recreation Commission member

Dominick Sorrentino at (203) 525-9886.

Following the regatta, the commission’s 4th Annual Canoe/Kayak Event will be held at the pond. People can bring their own canoe or kayak or use one provided by Connecticut Outdoors LLC. Refreshments will be available.

The event begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.

Later that evening, fireworks will light up the sky over the Pent Road Recreation Complex, 100 Pent Road.

Buses will run from the firehouse, 35 North Main St. and Woodland Regional High School, 135 Back Rimmon Road, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Prior to the fireworks, which will begin at dusk, food will be provided by local nonprofit vendors. The evening, which is sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Commission, will also feature music and family activities.