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Wednesday, June 28, 2006 was fireworks night. The weather forecast called for severe thunderstorms, but the weathermen were out to lunch again. There was a small thunderstorm late in the afternoon but that was it. The rejuvenated section of the river-front was open for business. The grass had been mown and the city had thoughtfully spread straw over the area where there was bare earth. The car park by the CBC had not been completed so there were no campers present, however the number of people luging chairs, ground sheets, rugs, and picnic baskets in small buggies was up dramatically from last year. The number of cameras on tripods also seems to be increasing. The show opens as always with a fly past of the Canadian and American flags. The helicopters usually start from up-river and fly toward the bridge. This year the procedure was reversed. The helicopters took off from just East of the Ambassador bridge and made their first pass easterly up- river before turning and retuning to their starting point. Last year the flags were illuminated by searchlights on the American bank of the river. This year, this failed to happen. The Canadian flag was illuminated solely by a search light in the helicopter that was carrying it and the American flag was completely in the dark. The amount of cheering and clapping was decidedly down from last year. Probably the effected by the lack of illumination. The firework show as always had new features, dazzlers, and twirlers. and worked up to a heart pounding finale. Police were of course not in evidence, so the one foolish child in white shirt and black shorts who took pleasure in kicking over the garbage cans was probably not apprehended.
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