NEWS

Fireworks display planned for Rocky Pt. on New Year’s Eve

By ALEX MALM
Posted 12/16/21

It’s official, Warwick will have fireworks at Rocky Point Park on New Years Eve. “Say goodbye to 2021 and ring in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display over the Narragansett …

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NEWS

Fireworks display planned for Rocky Pt. on New Year’s Eve

Posted

It’s official, Warwick will have fireworks at Rocky Point Park on New Years Eve. “Say goodbye to 2021 and ring in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks display over the Narragansett Bay,” The Facebook event description reads. “Make your way down to the waterfront with friends or family to snag a great view for the festivities.”

In addition to the fireworks, the Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of finalizing food trucks and activities that will take place there.

The fireworks are scheduled to take place around 6 p.m. The event first started out from an idea that Mayor Frank Picozzi posted to Facebook in
September asking if community members would be interested in having a New Year’s Eve community event.

“I’m toying with the idea of having a community event on  New Years Eve. I was thinking fireworks at Oakland Beach,” the post read. “Not at midnight but rather at a family friendly 6 p.m. Maybe also try to have some food trucks there earlier and perhaps music? First I want to get the community’s thoughts on having it. Do you think it’s a good idea?”

Hours later the overwhelming response was for people interested in it and many saying that having it at Rocky Point would be favorable to Oakland Beach.

The administration ultimately took the advice of the community and picked Rocky Point as the spot for the inaugural event.

“We felt Rocky Point was the best venue to provide the perfect fireworks display,” said Picozi’s media coordinator Liz Tufts in an email.

While picking a location appeared to be a simple task, the City faced a final hurdle in order to have it at Rocky Point.

Since it’s owned partly by the State and partly by the City, in order to have fireworks there the City needed to receive permission from the Department of Environmental Management.

The DEM approved the event via a special use permit on Dec. 6 according to Michael Healey, a spokesperson for the Department.

“The City is paying for the fireworks display,” Healey wrote in an email. “DEM’s only other involvement is to allow the use of the port-a-johns currently onsite. The City will be bringing more portable toilets in because DEM only has a few there right now for the winter season. Also, the City will be supplying all staff and law enforcement for this event.”

Representing the neighborhood surrounding Rocky Point is Ward 5 Councilman Ed Ladouceur.

He said that he had nothing to do with organizing the event. While he said he wouldn’t support large-scale events like carnivals or circuses that draw in tens of thousands of people he said he is willing to give the fireworks event a chance.

“I am willing to try this as a first time occurrence,” said
Ladouceur. He noted that he would be paying attention to clean up and traffic flow and will be waiting to hear neighbors feedback about how they think it went.

At the time of publication just under 1,700 people have marked as interested in or as going to the event.

fireworks, Rocky Point

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