Archive: Around Town

The Lansing Community Council is hosting the town's second annual fireworks event at Myers Park Sunday (July 1) to celebrate Independence Day.  The event features food, music, and an even bigger fireworks display than next year. 

"We moved up one," says Lansing Community Council President Ed LaVigne.  "We went small the first year because we simply didn't have the money.  This year we've received generous donations, but we still have to pay for everything.  We're still collecting money for that, and we will after the event."

With a huge amount of support from Cargill, and more from Cayuga Radio Group, the event will start at 6pm with Technicolor Trailer Park playing on the bandstand.  The Dixie Kats will play at eight, as well as after the fireworks, which are slated to begin at dark.

Dave Hatfield will be cooking hot dogs, hamburgers and sausage, and water and soda will also be available.

"No chicken," LaVigne says.  "We avoid that because the Lansing Lions Club are having their chicken barbecue at the park three days later."

The Community Council will be also selling Lansing Harbor Festival T-shirts and glow sticks and some awesome light-up 4th of July headbands.

"If you were around the gazebo last year when it got dark and saw all the little kids with their glow sticks and wands and everything else it was spectacular," LaVigne says.


Last year the Community Council thought they were dipping their toe in the water to see if Lansing wanted to support its own fireworks display.  What they got was a tsunami of support that resulted in a traffic snag as people tried to get out of the part afterward.  This year they have a master plan that they expect will greatly reduce the traffic jam after the fireworks.

"We'll have busses running between the park and the Lansing Schools parking lot from five until midnight," LaVigne says.  "Plus we'll have the Sheriff's Department to control traffic.  If people want to park in the park I recommend they get there early, because once the park is full we will close out the park (for parking).  We also recommend that people who live in the area on Myers Road, Ladoga Park... any of those roads down there.. that they do their business before eight o'clock because those roads will be closed.  Does that mean they will be prevented from going up and down?  Of course not.  But the police will ask you where you live.  We'll have the roads open for emergency vehicles, also."

One of the major causes of last year's traffic jam was people parking along roadsides, not leaving room for the exodus from the park.  This year cars parked along the roads will be towed, and traffic will be one way on the north loop of Myers Road to speed things up.

"One of the things I recommend if you're not in a hurry to go home is to simply wait.  The music will continue," LaVigne says.  "You might as well enjoy the area for a while.  We used to do that when we went to major league ball games.  We'd go to the restaurant, and after an hour the traffic was pretty well done."

As with all Community Council events the fireworks is supported by donations.  This year a 'Boom Board' has been erected near the park exit.  Donations will be acknowledged on the Boom Board in four different categories: For a $50 contribution you are a Sparkler.  FOr $100 you are a Boomer.  For $250 you are a Big Shot.  Any contributor that gives over $500 is a Sonic Boom.

"You can still get on the Boom Board after the event," LaVigne says.  It will be displayed through July, August, and September so we're talking about three months of advertisement right at the gate.   We also will accept donations at the gate when people et off the bus or when they park.  So there are a lot of ways you can make contributions.  It's not too late."


The fireworks are launched from Salt Point for safety reasons to separate them from the area where people will view them.  Salt Point will be closed to the public during that time.  A rain date of July 7th has been set.

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