Families make Joliet fireworks a tradition

JOLIET - Bill Moritz packed all of summer into the hours spent Friday outside Memorial Stadium.

While the Fourth of July fireworks wouldn't be exploding overhead until after 9 p.m., the Joliet resident arrived around 4 p.m. to park in the closest spot to the launch zone to the south of the field. He set up the grill and lawn chairs right away, but debated about pulling out the canopy from the back of the minivan.

With the essentials in place, Moritz walked over to the skate park with Tyler, 9, and Gianna, 6.

"We did it last year. I guess it is becoming a tradition," he said. After skating a bike riding in the parking lot, Moritz planned to grill chicken.

"This is as close as we can get," Moritz said.

"I like the bangs the best," Tyler said. "We sat on top of the car last time and the noise from the (grand finale) made it shake."

Inside the stadium, Jim Richards and his crew were testing the sound system set up on the field. This is the second year Richards Music and Electronics has broadcast the music inside the stadium.

"I thought everyone would be in the bleachers, but I learned there are lots of seats set up on either side of the timing building at the north end of the field, so we added other stacks to make sure they'll be able to hear this year," Richards said.

The music is cued from the pyrotechnicians and broadcast on the radio, but Richards keeps a compact disc player ready to go if the signal were to cut out.

"I've no idea what's on the playlist tonight, other than the Star-Spangled Banner. I'm sure (John Philip Sousa's) Washington Post March wouldn't surprise me," Richards said.

Elizabeth Vasquez, director of admissions for Rasmussen College, arrived early to set up glow stick distribution at the stadium entrances. The school has given away thousands of free green glow sticks at the event in recent years.

"Everyone gets their own safe firework. We give them all away and order new ones each year. We did run out when we first started, but I think we've got a good handle on it now," Vasquez said.

On Jefferson Street, Joliet police set out traffic cones beginning at 4 p.m. The Cerrone family of Crest Hill arrived about an hour after that and parked in the First Midwest Bank lot.

Gail Cerrone has brought her daughter Carla for decades and now they include Carla's sons, Nathan, 8, and Nikolas, 3.

"Grandma's got it figured out. It's too loud for the little guy inside the stadium. There's easier access here and the kids can get out and run around," Gail explained.

While the boys ate hamburgers and played with small cars, Carla Cerrone said she was looking forward to showing her sons the larger fireworks that keep bursting into different colors.

“The boys will be up for it. They’ll just flunk right out on the car ride home,” she said.