Cannons, a marching band and fireworks capped off the Fourth of July weekend in Lancaster, PA this year!

Long's Park was the focal point for an estimated 35,000 Lancastrians to celebrate our country's birthday!

The festivities were scheduled to officially start at 7:30 pm.  Knowing that the crowds would be large, we arrived an hour and a half early - only to be turned away at the lower entrance to the park, which was alread full.

We were guided into an upper meadow, where the overflow cars were parked.  Those who came too late to park inside Long's Park at all had to cross over into Park City Center.  There is a pedestrian tunnel which runs from Park City's parking lot, under Route 30 into Long's Park.

We brought a picnic dinner with us, along with folding chairs and a blanket, and set up our little space near the top of the hill overlooking the band shell.  

There were food concessions, from hot dogs and burgers to ice cream, funnel cakes and one stand with beautiful large blooming onions.  of course, if you wanted food from the concessions, you had to put up with the long lines...

The music was provided by the 257th Army Band - the same one that played at the inaugeration of Barack Obama.  They started out with a medley of Beatles tunes, then some WWII big band numbers, including "American Patrol".

 Then it was time for Lancaster ex-Mayor Charlie Smithgall's cannons, accompanied by the Army Band's rousing rendition of the 1812 Overture. 

                     As night fell, the fireworks started, to the accompaniment of patriotic marches... 

©2009BrianSchulman