By Mike LaBella
mlabella@eagletribune.com
July 01, 2009 03:18 am HAVERHILL — The city will kick off the holiday weekend by bragging about its heritage and annual fireworks display that draws thousands of people from across the region. The city will celebrate the Fourth of July on Friday with one of the biggest fireworks displays in the area. The theme for this year's event is Celebrating the Shoe City. When the doors to Haverhill Stadium open at 6 p.m., the public will finally see the dozen giant shoe statues designed by local and regional artists that will be at the center of the Soles of Haverhill Shoe-la-Bration this summer. The statues promote Haverhill's heritage as a former shoe-manufacturing giant. Activities leading up to Friday's 10 p.m. fireworks will include performances by the B Street Bombers and Haverhill Idol winning singer Bobby Gariepy, the first Community Spirit Award presentations by the city's Recreation Department, and an attempt by the Soles of Haverhill Committee to set a new world record involving a mass mailing of postcards. The city is spending $20,000 on this year's fireworks. Human Services Director Vincent Ouellette said the same local family foundation that donated $12,000 to last year's display and $10,000 the previous year increased its donation to $15,000 this year. The remaining cost is being paid for with other donations and $3,200 the city raised from its recent spring carnival. Atlas PyroVision Production of Jaffrey, N.H., is presenting this year's fireworks display, to be accompanied by synchronized recorded music. "According to Atlas, we will have the second largest display in the area," Ouellette said. "Only Danvers' display is bigger." Ouellette is keeping his fingers crossed that events leading up to the fireworks won't be disrupted by rain like last year. "A window of time allowed the fireworks to go off," he said. "If you were inside the stadium and saw the show, it was an incredible and phenomenal display." Local food vendors will offer hot dogs, hamburgers, fried dough, french fries and slush. The local England's MicroCreamery will be selling ice cream. There will be no carnival rides this year. The Soles of Haverhill, a committee of the Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce, will attempt to establish a new Guinness World Record for the greatest number of postcards sent from one location on one day. The current Guinness World Record is held by China's Luoyang City, which sent 4,493 postcards on April 10, 2009. The committee and its many local sponsors have been distributing Soles of Haverhill postcards promoting the city and the Shoe-la-Bration. In recent weeks, residents were asked to pick up a free postcard, address it to someone who might like to visit Haverhill, add a postage stamp and return the postcard to a sponsoring business or bring it to the stadium on Friday. "We've already handed out more than 10,000 cards and we have about 1,000 left," said Soles of Haverhill Committee member Leota Sarrette. "We could beat the record if everybody returns their postcards either to the sponsors prior to the celebration or hand deliver them to us at the stadium." The giant shoes that have been designed, painted and decorated in various themes by local and regional artists, school art teachers and students, will be displayed this summer at sites chosen by their sponsors. In the fall, the dozen 6-foot-long and 5-foot-tall fiberglass shoe forms in the style of a vintage woman's boot will be auctioned, with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit organizations associated with each shoe and sponsor. Some money will go back to the Soles of Haverhill Committee as it plans its next public art installation. Families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to relax on the stadium's football field and enjoy the night. The bleachers will not be open. The fireworks will be behind the stadium. This is an alcohol-free event. No pets or bicycles will be allowed inside the stadium. The Recreation Department's Community Spirit Award program honors those who have devoted much of their life to organizations in Haverhill, such as youth sports programs. "They may have been recognized among their peers, and within their organizations, but the city has never recognized them for their contributions to the community," Ouellette said. The first Community Spirit Award recipients are: David Picanso, for his 25 years of service to Haverhill PAL baseball, PAL soccer and Haverhill Little League, where he served as coach, board member and president. Thomas DiPietro, for his 30 years of service to Riverside Bradford Baseball as league organizer, coach, president and board member. Marcia Bretton, for her 22 years of service to Haverhill Girls Softball as a coach, board member and president. William Fasulo, for his 30 years leading the Haverhill Community Band, and his work as chairman of the Haverhill Community Events Commission. ÔÇæÔÇæÔÇæ Join the discussion. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com. Haverhill's July Fourth celebration When: Friday (rain date is Sunday) Admission: $2 per person. Children in strollers admitted free. Family pass is $10 (parents and children) Where: Haverhill Stadium, Lincoln Avenue. Gates open at 6 p.m. Fireworks: 10 p.m. The program: 6-7:45 p.m.: A Good Times DJ 7:45-8 p.m.: Greetings/Community Spirit Awards/Soles of Haverhill 7:55 p.m.: Singer Bobby Gariepy, winner of the Haverhill Idol contest 8-10 p.m.: B Street Bombers band
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