Fireworks Light Up A 4th Of Many Firsts

Jasmine Gormley, Melissa Tamarkin, and Madison Sanders arrived at Wilbur Cross High School around 7 p.m. on Thursday — not to stake out the seats closest to the fireworks, but to set up a hammock at the furthest corner of the field near the school’s athletic complex.

The trio graduated from Yale last month, but had never before stuck around long enough after classes ended to see the city’s annual Fourth of July fireworks. Back in New Haven together for one last time this summer, the three headed to East Rock for a holiday spectacle.

The three friends are staying close to their roots, with Gormley interning at Yale’s Urban Resources Initiative and Sanders conducting research at the university.

Earlier this summer, Tamarkin found herself dealing with health issues, and decided to return to New Haven, where her Yale health insurance has not yet expired.

With plans to leave for Boston next week, Gormley wanted to make the most of her time with her friends and enjoy the festivities. ​“I come from a small town in New Hampshire, so my July 4th traditions were usually some guy at the end of the street setting off fireworks. The set-up they have here is really nice.”

Tamarkin agreed: ​“It’s just really nostalgic,” referring to both traditions at her home in California as well as her last summer in New Haven.

“I hope people know that this is, like, ironic,” Gormley said of her striking outfit, citing the connotations of excessive patriotism and gesturing to her getup, complete with crimson cowboy boots and a pink hat embroidered with an eagle atop an American flag.

While the sky began to grow dim around 8:30 p.m., Kel Welsh continued his trek around the Wilbur Cross track decked out head-to-toe in vibrant sunglasses.

A Hamden-based fashion designer itching to create during the early years of the Covid-19 pandemic, Welsh started bedazzling sunglasses as a way to pass the time before incorporating the product into his ongoing line of T‑shirts. ​“I just pop the lenses out and start painting. I use magazine cut-outs, nail polish, stickers — you name it.”

At first glance, Welsh’s sunglasses fuse into a patchwork of color, but closer inspection reveals the artist’s individualized attention-to-detail to each handmade piece. He lets a customer try on a pair pasted with a collage of smiley face stickers, with the words ​“KANDY FACE” hand lettered across the side. 

Although Welsh designs year-round, he primarily sells his creations during the summer months. ​“I go to large events like these so I can cater to all different audiences,” he said. ​“But really, I just follow where the music is.”

Just before the fireworks show commenced, Larissa Gordon chatted away with her new family on the bleachers overlooking the Wilbur Cross football field. Gordon, who hails from Brazil, was celebrating her first Fourth of July in the United States.

Larissa moved to New Haven with her husband, Michael Gordon, after their wedding six months ago. Michael, who grew up in Indiana, had invited his family to join the newlyweds for the holiday.

Kathy Gordon, Michael’s mother, was eager to welcome Larissa into the family. ​“She’s one of us now,” she said, playfully patting Larissa’s head.

All five members of the Gordon family sported American flag headpieces, which Larissa had purchased at Dollar Tree earlier that day. ​“I’ve been in the U.S. for a few years but this is my first Fourth of July here, so I want it to be special.”

The newlyweds had celebrated with a morning workout before joining the rest of the family for lunch at Wood-n-Tap in Hamden. The family was all smiles, enjoying one another’s company as much as their Uncle Sam hats.

Minutes after 9 p.m., the floodlights illuminating the football field shut off, and the first firework was launched into the dwindling light above East Rock.

New Haveners watched in a stunned silence as trails of red, white, and blue soared through the murky night sky, a new color bursting through the darkness before the previous firework had a chance to dissipate. As the show drew to a close after nearly thirty minutes, the audience’s cheers matched the intensity of the finale, and continued long after the final embers had vanished into East Rock.