New Year's Eve Fireworks Shows Dazzle Viewers Along Delaware River Waterfront
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Last year, the skies over Penn's Landing did not light up for New Year's Eve because of COVID. But this year, the fireworks shows are a go -- at least tonight.
The New Year's Eve tradition on the waterfront was canceled last year due to COVID. But now it's back.
2021 flew by and now it's time to celebrate the new year.
"Let's just blow up this year and start again," Delaware River Waterfront Corporation Executive Vice President Jodie Milkman said.
Nine thousand pounds of explosives, months of prep and hundreds of man-hours resulted in a pyrotechnics show ringing in 2022 along the Delaware River waterfront.
"These fireworks are a great outdoor opportunity to be outside and do something festive with your family or small group, the people that you're comfortable with. Be outside, be together and let's ring in 2022," Milkman said.
The News Year's Eve firework spectacular wowed sightseers and partygoers on the Delaware River Waterfront.
"I love to see the bright colors in the sky," a girl said.
"It's amazing, the fireworks were fantastic," a woman said.
From a Ferris wheel to ice skating, there was no shortage of fun at Penn's Landing.
"So far, I had a play date with my friend and then I came here, which I think is really fun because I like to ice skate but I am just not very good at it," one girl said.
"It's beautiful. We love the trees and she doesn't like to take pictures so for her to get excited and want to take a picture it's really fun," Regina Farrell said.
"I am like this is really fun. We love it," Renee Williams said.
People Eyewitness News spoke with say they felt comfortable despite the rising COVID cases across the tri-state area.
"Most people are wearing masks when they are moving around. It's spaced out and not super crowded. It's nice," Marissa Paioletti said.
And the weather was mild too.
"It's not freezing. We were down here maybe seven years ago and it was frigid," one man said.
This crew has been working together for about a decade.
"We're all excited to be back here," pyrotechnics technician Andrew Clemick said.
Excited but taking every precaution to stay safe during the show. They will gather inside a bunker to steer clear of any accidents.
Now that the show is ready to go, a very sophisticated system will play itself out with a push of a button.
"Between the soundtracks, designing the show, scripting the show, packaging because this is a scripted show, so every single shell is handwritten -- what position that it actually goes into. All that work is done beforehand," Clemick said.
Then it all makes its way to South Philly where it's packed onto a barge over a number of days.
"This is all the frontage stuff her along the front, so that's all the low-level effects you're gonna see. And then this is your bigger gun. Unfortunately, we have all the big guns covered," Clemick said.
Because of the rain, but will be nice and dry and ready to go for people to experience a New Year's Eve fireworks show.
The crew will remain on the barge through the midnight show.
Saturday's 6 p.m. Visit Philly fireworks show has been canceled.
CBS3's Alecia Reid and Kerri Corrado reports.
