Final preparations take place for Boston Pops concert on Fourth of July
BOSTON -- The forecast for the Fourth of July is looking good for the Boston Pops concert on the Esplanade, where the setup has been underway for days now.
From sound checks to camera adjustments, final preparations are underway at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade for the 2022 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.
Organizers say this will be a historic, star-studded event.
"They can expect Chaka Khan, who is going to be here for the Fourth of July event. And Tony Award- winner Heather Headley, and the Boston Pops," said Pam Picard, Executive Producer and Event Director of the event..
Also performing will be "The Voice" winner Javier Colon, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, the Middlesex County Volunteers Fifes & Drums and the Honor Guard of the Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Regiment.
The in-person live event, which draws in tens of thousands of spectators, will mark a return to normalcy.
Last year, the Boston Pops performed from Tanglewood and fireworks were launched from the Common. The festivities were canceled altogether in 2020. But 2022 will mark a return to the Hatch Shell, with a "mega fireworks display" over the Charles River.
"This take the cake," said Lead Pyro Technician Matt Shea. It's a fun event. It's got a lot of history. And that history is being continued with the fireworks display."
Shea says his team has been working on the design and set up for months. This year, they are using mini-barges to create floating fireworks islands for the 5,000 fireworks set to be lit up over the 20-minute show.
86-year-old Jay Peterson came up from North Carolina with his wife to witness it.
"We watched the Boston Pops on TV for many years. Now is the time to watch with my wife."
This event is so big that it brings in people and families from all over the country. Organizers say one change will be the Sunday rehearsal, which spectators are not allowed to watch.
"The collective decision was to focus on the holiday," Picard said.
The gates will open up at noon on Monday and the event is free and open to the public.
The show is set for Monday, July 4th from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. It will be available to watch on Bloomberg's platforms.