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Community Corner

Patch Picks for Fun at the Fireworks

Plan ahead to enjoy the spectacles around the area.

Independence Day celebrations climax at dusk, when the first fireworks are heard. Take this advice from the pros to make your weekend safe and fun to the very end.

Glenview's Offical Celebration
Glenview fireworks will be shot off from the , 800 Shermer Road, Monday, July 4, at dusk. Park District Director of Marketing Liz Gogola said spectators will gather in a U-shaped area around the course. Come early (enter from Glenview, Central and Shermer roads) to find a good spot and enjoy the music of the 100-piece North Shore Concert Band.

Glenview On The Sly
If circumstances prevent you from getting out too early, Gogola said and offer good viewing near the display (, too, for the really high fireworks).

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Northbrook's Official Celebration
Fireworks will be shot off at dusk Monday, July 4, from the . Co-chair of the Northbrook 4th of July Association Shari Bergstein said that prime viewing can be had from the Northbrook velodrome, on Maple Avenue west of Waukegan Road, and she recommended families arrive before dusk with chairs and blankets to sit on. Ice cream and water will be available for purchase, but Bergstein recommended families make a night of it. “Let the kids run around the track, bring Frisbees and plan to hang out for a while,” she said. Her co-chair is Sharon Latek.

Northbrook On The Sly
Bergstein and Latek are both Northbrook residents, and they know that the hoopla at the velodrome isn’t for everyone. Bergstein said she’s heard that the near Village Green and the Crate and Barrel lot on Techny Road are also good places to watch the show safely.

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Travel safely
“We’d of course prefer people go to the lot, park their cars and go to the official viewing area,” said Northbrook Police Department Community Relations Supervisor Mike Shep. Stopping along the side of the road to catch a quick glimpse of fireworks creates traffic safety issues. If you must park away from your local festivities, Shep recommended people stay off the road and on sidewalks whenever possible, and walk in a crowd. The village will have police officers at crosswalks and intersections to help pedestrians cross safely. Flashlights and flashing lights on your clothing offer passing drivers another warning to slow down for safety.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article misstated the location from which fireworks are set off. They are actually launched from Techny Prairie Park and Fields.

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