EASTON, Pa — The fireworks display at Easton’s Heritage Day this year will be moved to a new location to accommodate more festival time and better views of the show, Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said Wednesday.
In a release issued on April 25, Panto noted Heritage Day’s fireworks would be set off at Hackett Park instead of at the riverfront this year.
- Easton’s Heritage Day fireworks show has been moved from the waterfront to Hackett Park for 2023
- Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said the shift will allow more time for the festival and greater views of the fireworks
- Last year’s shooting during the Heritage Festival played a small part in the decision, the mayor stated
And while some may see the switch as a reaction to a shooting during the event in 2022, the mayor assured the public move had been in motion before that.
According to Panto’s office, the switch will give the festival more time to showcase “the city’s wealth of colonial history” by providing additional time for the heritage element of the event.
Instead of shutting down at 4 p.m. to move the festivities to the waterfront, the historic re-enactors, vendors and entertainers will be able to stay in the park until 7 p.m., according to Panto's office.
Shooting played a part in move
On July 10, 2022, a 16-year-old boy was shot on the 100 block of Northampton Street during the Heritage Festival. The victim survived a gunshot wound to the leg, and didn't cooperate with law enforcement, police stated.
When asked if a shooting played into the decision to move the location, Panto acknowledged it spurred action, but said it wasn't the sole reason.
“Heritage Day in the circle is really nice, there are a lot of colonial re-enactors and military people there," Panto said. "It’s all about the history of the reading of the Declaration of Independence in Easton.
“But then, it closes down at 4 o’clock to move down to Larry Holmes Drive, where it’s nothing but a big carnival. I’ve been trying to get that changed for years, so last year with the incident that happened, it gave us impetus to really put our heads together and think where we should put them.”
“People can see them from the high school parking lot, the courthouse parking lot, from some of their homes in Palmer, Forks and Wilson boroughs, not just Easton. So we can make it a true celebration for the whole area, not just the city of Easton.”Easton Mayor Sal Panto
Panto said fireworks have been launched at Hackett Park on Labor Day previously, and said he “always wanted to go back there” to take advantage of the higher elevation and let more spectators enjoy the show.
“People can see them from the high school parking lot, the courthouse parking lot, from some of their homes in Palmer, Forks and Wilson boroughs, not just Easton," he said.
"So we can make it a true celebration for the whole area, not just the city of Easton.”
Test launches will be performed at Hackett Park ahead of Heritage Day, Panto said. Views may be limited in the Downtown area — “the buildings and light may obscure it,” he said — but the West Ward, College Hill, the Simon Silk Mill and other locations will offer better vantage points, he said.
According to Panto, there are no serious safety issues linked to this year’s Heritage Festival, despite last year’s shooting.
