OLD LYME — The Old Lyme Board of Selectmen voted Tuesday afternoon (June 30) at a Special Meeting to hold the annual fireworks celebration that normally takes place in the evening following the Old Lyme Midsummer Festival. This is a significant decision since the Midsummer Festival itself, scheduled for Saturday, July 25, will not be held this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The selectmen’s plan is to hold the fireworks on the evening of Saturday, July 25, with a raindate of Sunday, July 26.
Old Lyme First Selectman Timothy Griswold, however, clarified to LymeLine in a text this morning that the event is still subject to a number of caveats, stating the fireworks will be held, “… subject, of course, to state and local requirements.” and also that, “We have verbal permission from the school but we must be sure the new solar panels are not harmed.”
Griswold confirmed that, assuming the fireworks go ahead, there will be no shuttle bus service this year due to social distancing constraints.
He added that the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen, ” … believes the fireworks will be a welcome family event for the people of Old Lyme!”
Editor’s Note: Visit this link to read our earlier story published June 22, titled, “Will There Be Fireworks in Old Lyme This Year?”
Not a smart decision. Hopefully District 18 will think the use of their field and unnecessary gathering of people before giving this half baked idea the go-ahead.
I find it hard to believe that a gathering of about 900 people to watch the fireworks would be permitted during these times, when gatherings of groups of people are considered unsafe. Also who will monitor that everyone is wearing a mask and only have five people in their group and are six feet apart and in the dark. Ct. is doing so well keeping their numbers down and Old Lyme has been lucky, so why are we taking this chance?