Fairfield's Fireworks Display is postponed to Sunday, July 3^rd. The fireworks will begin just after dark, around 9:15 PM, from a barge off Long Island Sound. 

 

I am sending again the important information below to help you with preparations for this weekend. Included is helpful information from the Fairfield Police Department regarding parking and traffic, and the Fire Department regarding firework safety.
 

The purpose of this newsletter is to make sure you are fully prepared with information about closures, traffic patterns, and drop-offs that will impact the process of arriving to and departing from our beaches.
 

Daily Passes will be limited to the first 300 vehicles at Jennings Beach and the first 100 vehicles at Penfield Beach. A Daily Parking Fee will also be charged to park at the Ash Creek Open Space Parking Lot on the day of the fireworks. 
 
The parking lots will fill up. Once the threshold is reached, no additional non-permit vehicles will be allowed into the beach parking areas.
 
TRAFFIC INFORMATION: 
In the interest of public safety, the below-listed streets will be posted with “No Parking Tow-Away” signs. Any vehicles parked in the designated tow zone areas after 5:00 PM on July 3^rd will be towed at the owner’s expense. This is a necessary action to provide access to the beach area for fire apparatus/other emergency vehicles and to facilitate the movement of the large volume of traffic.
 
Streets to be posted:
~Old Post Road
~Reef Road – south of Richard White Way (One Rod Highway)
~Penfield Road
~Lalley Blvd
~Rowland Road
~Edward Street
~South Benson Road
~Portions of Fairfield Beach Road.
~Riverside Drive
~Turney Road
 
All streets in the beach area will be strictly enforced for all parking violations and cars in violation will be towed at the owner’s expense.
 
Any vehicles towed during this event will be taken to the Fairfield Fire Training Center at 205 Richard White Way. Owners may claim their vehicle and pay all fees up to 1 hour following the conclusion of the Fireworks, otherwise, the vehicles will be towed to Sport Hill Service Center at 2629 Easton Turnpike, Fairfield.
 
STREET CLOSURES:
Once the fireworks have begun, at approximately 9:15 PM, streets leading from the beach area will be turned into “one way” from the Beach to the Post Road. NO TRAFFIC will be permitted to go south of the Post Road into the beach area until all exiting traffic has cleared. In addition, Rowland Road and Edward Street will be closed to all traffic to allow unrestricted access for emergency vehicles.
 
I95 Exit Ramps at Exits 22 South & 22 North will be closed once the fireworks begin.
 
EXITING AFTER THE FIREWORKS: 
At the end of the fireworks, all vehicles must follow designated exit routes and proceed to the Post Road, with no exceptions. Most vehicles will be prohibited from turning onto Post Road or Old Post Road. This is to reduce cross-traffic, make it safer for pedestrians, and allow for quicker clearance of the beach area.
 
Vehicles exiting SOUTH BENSON MARINA must exit to Riverside Drive and then to the Post Road, where they may proceed northbound onto Grasmere Avenue or eastbound onto Fairfield Avenue.
 
Vehicles exiting JENNINGS BEACH must exit using South Benson Road, which will be converted into two travel lanes in the northbound direction. Vehicles in the right lane must turn onto Old Post Road where they will proceed to Post Road at the Traffic Circle. Vehicles in the left lane must proceed straight across Post Road and onto North Benson Road, they will not be able to turn onto Post Road.
 
Vehicles exiting PENFIELD BEACH must exit Fairfield Beach Road using either Beach Road, Penfield Road, or Reef Road. Traffic on Beach Road will be directed across Post Road and onto Round Hill Road. Traffic on Penfield Road will be directed to Mill Plain Road via Old Post Road and the Post Road. Traffic on Reef Road will be directed to Post Road via Oldfield Road and Sasco Hill Road.
 
PARKING RECOMMENDATIONS: 
To ensure the most convenient exit, cars wanting to travel west (toward Westport) after the fireworks should park at Penfield Beach. Cars wishing to travel east (toward Bridgeport) after the fireworks should park at Jennings Beach.
 
The following recommendations for parking are based on the general neighborhood you will be returning to:
 
Southport: Penfield Beach, exit using Reef Road.
University: Penfield Beach, exit using Beach Road OR Jennings Beach, exit using South Benson in the left lane.
North Stratfield: Jennings Beach, exit using South Benson in the left lane.
Stratfield: South Benson Marina or Jennings Beach, exit using South Benson in the right lane.
Tunxis Hill: South Benson Marina or Jennings Beach, exit using South Benson in the right lane.
Fairfield Woods: Jennings Beach, exit using South Benson in the left lane.
Lake Mohegan: Penfield Beach, exit using Penfield Road.
Greenfield Hill:  Penfield Beach, exit using Penfield Road.
 
SPECTATOR PICK-UP:
If you are picking up a spectator after the fireworks, you will NOT be permitted access to roadways south of the Post Road. It is recommended that you meet at the New York Bound side of the Fairfield Center Train Station (via Mill Plain Rd or Unquowa Rd) or wait until traffic clears to enter the beach area.
 
If you reside south of the Post Road, it is recommended that you walk or bike to the Fireworks display and not use your vehicle.

PEDESTRIANS:  
Please be aware of the high volume of vehicle traffic upon the conclusion of the Fireworks. Use sidewalks or designated pedestrian walking areas where available.

The Fairfield Fire Department would like to remind our residents that fireworks are not only illegal but extremely dangerous. In 2020, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported multiple deaths and an estimated 15,600 injuries that required emergency room treatment were caused by fireworks. These injuries occurred in a one-month period between June and July. 

Sparklers and fountains, which technically are not considered fireworks, may be sold but may not legally be sold to or used by persons younger than 16. An estimated 2500 emergency department injuries were associated with the use of firecrackers and sparklers. The parts of the body most often injured were hands and fingers, legs, eyes, head, face, and ears. 44% of these injuries were burns.

Assistant Fire Chief Phil Higgins, the Town’s Fire Marshal, warns that sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. 

An estimated 19,500 fires have been started by fireworks across the United States over the last few years. These fires have caused death, injuries, and over $100 million in damages. According to the National Fire Protection Association, half of all fires that occurred on July 4^th between the years 2014 and 2018 were started by fireworks.  

If you plan on using legal fountains or sparklers, do not let children light them or play with them, never point or throw fireworks at anyone, never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs, and always have water nearby to extinguish a small fire. If the fire gets beyond your control, immediately call 9-1-1.

The Fairfield Police Department will take enhanced measures — including ramped-up enforcement of beach parking regulations — in order to ensure that community members are celebrating safely and that fireworks are not being used at any time by unlicensed individuals. Fireworks are not allowed by law in Connecticut for use by non-professional, non-licensed users.

To report the use of illegal fireworks, please call the Fairfield Police at (203) 254-4800. 

The public is invited to attend the local Veteran's Annual Independence Day ceremony on Monday, July 4, 2022, at 10 AM at the green in front of the Old Town Hall. The Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution will serve refreshments after the ceremony. Captain Roger Crossland is the guest speaker.  
 
I hope this information is helpful, and you have a safe and fun Independence Day!