Let’s talk about the fireworks …

Fireworks at Salem County Fairgrounds were a success this year. The next display is tonight at Four Seasons Campground at 9:30 p.m.

WOODSTOWN — Admittedly, I miss the convenience of walking across the street and seeing the fireworks at Marlton Park.

That said, traditions evolve and change and I’m hearing the festival was really terrific. There were many enjoyable activities, and I am sure the dog-owners in the Manor and on Marlton are thankful their pooches didn’t spend the night in terror.

A few people in the Woodstown Facebook groups are complaining they couldn’t walk to the fireworks, but that’s to be expected anytime a major change is made in the traditions of a small town. Unless there’s constructive feedback about the event itself, let’s give them a break.

Many may remember (though this was before my time) the social furor that ensued when the parade route was changed from North Main to what it is today.

Congrats to Andy Ware and team for their hard work expanding the Woodstown-Pilesgrove Independence Day experience. We are lucky to have someone who cares enough to make this all happen!

Here is a detailed statement from Ware explaining his reasoning for moving the event:

Marlton Park was a great location, but I was the only one raising money, lining up food trucks, hiring a DJ as well as any other detail associated with the event. I paid a large chunk of the money for last year’s fireworks out of my own pocket, just so our great little community could continue its amazing Fourth of July tradition. I pitched moving the fireworks to the fairgrounds for a number of reasons. 

At the fairgrounds, where I am proudly a board member, I had a lot of incredible people volunteer their help and their time. We also had a much easier time raising money, because guess what, every dime of profit will be poured into improving the fairgrounds. It takes a ton of money to upkeep that place and we take pleasure in providing the Salem County populace with a beautiful facility. We also grabbed the opportunity to be able to take our event county wide. Marlton Park is charming and cozy, but parking was a challenge and the fireworks being launched in the vicinity of the spectators was also a challenge. At the Salem County Fairgrounds there is considerably more room for both parking and spectators. The fireworks are launched across the road and the company that launches the fireworks prefers launching at the fairground for safety reasons.

It’s really disappointing that some … would take the time to disparage an event into which so many people poured so much effort and time. We didn’t do it for us, we did it so that so many people might have a great Fourth of July experience. It also seems to make sense for someone to say to themselves, hey I went and the first event wasn’t for me. It’s that simple. It would also make sense to offer constructive criticism as opposed to putting complaints on paper for the world to read. We’re humans and we don’t enjoy hurtful words. Our intentions have always been and always will be good!

TL;DR — Ware was the sole organizer at Marlton and partially paid out of pocket for fireworks. He’s on the Board of the Fairgrounds and was able to create a team to organize this year’s event, evening out the responsibilities. The extra space at the Fairgrounds provided a safer environment for spectators and Firework operators.

Anybody who missed last night’s fireworks (because they were far too exhausted to peel themselves off their sofa — aka. your Town Crier) there’s going to be a great fireworks display at Four Seasons Campground tonight at 9:30 p.m., parking begins at 7 p.m. Daretown Boy Scouts will be onsite selling refreshments and snacks. Parking is a requested $5 to the local fire department.