Collaborative Children’s Solutions’ Pat Smeraldo address Public Safety Committee

A local organization is hoping to bring four events to Jamestown this year.

Collaborative Children’s Solutions‘ Pat Smeraldo made a presentation to the City Council Public Safety Committee about the activities he has begun working on.

CCS was the organization that took on organizing the downtown holiday parade this past December.

Smeraldo said it’s his mission to collaborate with the city, local agencies, and schools to create events that are family friendly, “To create seven days and evenings within the city starting from June 2022 to Christmas time, to go back and run four separate events. And actually since I met with the Mayor and his team last week, I’ve been approached about a couple other things.”

The four events include two with the Jamestown Tarp Skunks, events on Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day that include the traditional Sunday festival in Bergman Park, and the downtown holiday parade in December. All four events would include fireworks.

Council member Marie Carrubba requested that Smeraldo look into the possibility of the use of “low noise fireworks” for the four shows due to concerns about how fireworks affect pets and people with PTSD.

Public Safety Committee Chair Brent Sheldon said Smeraldo is working with the city on all of the events and has his own sponsorships. He is expected to be filing the special event application permits and insurance certificates needed in the near future.

In the Village of Lakewood, the 2021 Lakewood Firecracker 10K and 2 Mile run/walk will happen in person on Saturday, July 3rd. Check-in is from 7am to 8:15am at the Lakewood Beach with the race beginning at 9:00 am.

Lakewood also has a vehicle parade is planned for Sunday. Line up begins at 10:00 am at the Lakewood American Legion with the parade proceeding through the village and returning back to the American Legion. The Lakewood American Legion will then host a drive through chicken BBQ beginning at 1:00pm until supplies last.

In Jamestown, the Tarp Skunks game versus Niagara Power starts at 7pm tonight and concludes with a firework show. Tune to WRFA for a live broadcast of this game.

Multiple fireworks shows are also back on the schedule including the Village of Mayville holding their annual fireworks display over Chautauqua Lake’s north basin at 10pm on Sunday. The Lakeside Park will host vendors and be open to the public.

The Bemus Point Firework Show also will take place at 10:00 pm on Sunday and can be viewed from every part of the village. Spectators can also enjoy the show from their boats and docks on Chautauqua Lake.

The City of Dunkirk’s firework show will return on July 4th with live music being performed between 5 pm and 9 pm. Fireworks start at dusk.

The Chautauqua Lake Association also will be doing its annual “Light The Lake” event Sunday.

Lakefront residents are asked to light their flares at 10pm on Sunday in an effort to outline the entirety of Chautauqua Lake.

Flares are $3.00 each and last for 30 minutes. Official lighting time is 10 p.m., and the proceeds from the flare sale benefit the Chautauqua Lake Association.

Flares may be purchased at local stores including Peterson’s Farm, Tops in Jamestown, Lakewood Mobil Mart, Wegmans, Ashville General Store, and Smith Boys.

The Bemus Point Business Association announced they met their fundraising goal for the display. The fireworks show will take place at 10pm, Sunday, July 4th from barges in Bemus Bay.

The Village of Bemus Point will be shutting down a portion of Lakeside Drive near the intersection of Lakeside and Main at 9 PM for the show.

Visitors are encouraged to bring their chairs to this area to watch the show.

According to Jamestown Police Chief Harry Snellings, officers have responded to 31 fireworks complaints during the month of June. The sound of firecrackers and bottle rockets have also become such a nuisance for residents that it has been discussed several times at both the Jamestown City council’s Public safety committee as well as during the full council work sessions.

In a press release sent out Thursdsay, Snellings said police want to remind the community that the possession and use of fireworks is illegal in New York state. The chief did note that use of sparkling devices are permitted within Chautauqua County and the city of Jamestown.

“Sparklers” are defined as devices that are ground-based or hand-held that produce a shower or white, gold or colored sparks.

However, devices that rise into the air, fire inserts or projectiles into the air, or explode or produce a report are still illegal.

As is tradition, the annual Chautauqua County July 4th Celebration will again take place in Mayville with a variety of events scheduled, including a parade beginning at 10 a.m. The “American Heroes” parade will travel down Erie Street to the Lakeside Park and will feature Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. County officials are encouraging all recent veterans to participate with their families and in uniform, if they so choose, by registering between 8am and 9am on the day of the parade on the County Courthouse lawn.

Both Routes 394 and 430 will be closing at 9:30 a.m. to accommodate the parade. After the parade, festivities will continue in Mayville Lakeside Park from Noon. to 10 p.m., where there will be live music, games, raffles, food vendors, amusements for children, and more. The evening will then conclude with Fireworks presented by Skylighters of Western New York at 10 p.m.

For a complete schedule of events in Mayville, go to www.cc4th.com.

OTHER JULY 4th CELEBRATIONS

Besides the Chautauqua County Celebration in Mayville there are numerous other Independence Day Celebrations that will be held throughout the county tomorrow.

In the Jamestown area, the 4th of July Summerfest will take place at Chautauqua Avenue in Lakewood. The day will begin at Hartley Park with the Lakewood Family YMCA’s “2012 Firecracker Run,” which includes a 10K race at 9 a.m. and Kids Race at 9:30 a.m. At 2 p.m. there will be live music and food, gift, and craft vendors along Chautauqua Avenue. The evening will conclude at Hartley Park with live music starting at 6 p.m.

Annual Fireworks and Music will once again take place at Midway State Park, where rides and arcade are open from Noon to 10 p.m., live music is from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and fireworks begin at 10:15 p.m.

There will also be an Independence Day Celebration from Noon to 10 p.m. at the Dunkirk City Pier and Memorial Park, Route 5 in Dunkirk. The event features live music and food vendors with fireworks at 10 p.m. Independence Day Beach Party starts at noon at the Sunset Bay Beach Club in Irving.

The Village-wide Independence Day Celebration in Findley Lake takes place throughout the day tomorrow, where there will be a chicken BBQ at the Fire Hall, Duck Race, and live music. There will also be a Boat Parade at 2 p.m. Live music and Fireworks will be on Saturday, July 7th at 9:30 p.m.