PORTLAND – Tens of thousands gathered all over the Eastern Promenade on Monday to celebrate the nation’s birthday and to watch the second annual Stars and Stripes Spectacular show and fireworks, featuring performances by the Portland Symphony Orchestra and comedian Bob Marley.

A slight fog rolled in shortly after the fireworks began, but the light show still went on. Long before the pyrotechnics were lit, the smells of french fries, fried dough and sparklers permeated the air.

By late afternoon, the sloping lawn was covered with people relaxing on lawn chairs and picnic blankets. A brief thunderstorm around 4 p.m. caused the crowd to dash for cover, but it didn’t seem to dampen anyone’s spirits for long.

Vendors hawked food and trinkets and activists circulated in the crowd seeking petition signatures. Even enterprising youngsters cashed in on the throngs of people descending upon Munjoy Hill.

Eleven-year-olds Julia Jankowski, Stella Santucci, Ewka Varney and 7-year-olds Ela Varney, Rowan Slater and Chloe Santucci sold lemonade and ice pops from a sidewalk table on Congress Street.

“Business is really good,” Stella Santucci said.

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Last year, when budget cuts forced the city to eliminate funding for its popular Fourth of July fireworks, The Maine Red Claws, Wright Express, Quirk Chevrolet and The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram banded together to save the event, and make it an even bigger and better community celebration. This year the group is joined by presenting sponsor Bangor Savings Bank.

Marley kicked off the entertainment lineup. The Portland Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Robert Moody and accompanied by tenor Paul Baswell, followed with a rousing Patriotic Pops concert that led into the fireworks display.

“Bob Marley and the Portland Symphony and the fireworks — it’s the best,” said Carrie Strasburger of Brunswick, who enjoyed cold beverages in the late afternoon sun with her husband, Frank Strasburger, and her daughter, Hilary Strasburger of Boston, before the show began.

As supporters of the symphony, the Strasburgers wanted to attend last year’s Stars and Stripes Spectacular, but had already made Fourth of July plans when the performance was announced. They made sure to clear their calendar this year.

“It’s such a beautiful, scenic feel,” said Carrie Strasburger, gesturing to the sweeping views of Casco Bay and the islands. “It’s such a community event.”

“I love Bob Marley and everything about the Fourth of July,” said Andrea Powers of Hebron, who watched the Portland fireworks for the first time Monday night.

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After hearing about the 2010 show, which paired the Portland Symphony Orchestra with the fireworks for the first time, she and Darlene Glover of South Paris decided to take the drive to Portland. From their perch on a rise above the VIP seating area and the stage, they had an excellent view of the action.

They arrived at 3:30 p.m., well-provisioned with water and drinks and added to their larder with a few bags of kettle corn from the Hannah Banana concession stand.

Marilyn Hunkins of Portsmouth, N.H., Sandy Champagne of Yarmouth Port, Mass., and Linda Turnage of Troy, Mich., elevated their picnic with a white table decorated with a red-and-blue centerpiece.

Their menu for the evening included lobster rolls, potato salad, brownies and jelly beans.

“It’s a gathering where we can get together and talk,” Champagne said. “And the view is spectacular.”

As her grandson Jaylan Burale, 2, ran around in the grass and her granddaughter Yasmine Burale, 15 months, swatted at the balloons attached to her stroller, Judy Ray of Lewiston, who attended the show with her daughter Melissa Wallace, said, “The food is great, but to have a little more entertainment is great, too. And free is definitely better.”

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Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at:

akamila@pressherald.com

Follow her on Twitter at:

Twitter.com/AveryYaleKamila

 


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