By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Neejai and Malashia Carter, along with their younger brother, Monga, sat patiently on a bench behind the Franklin Moore Library at Rider University early Saturday evening.
Along with thousands of others who filled the field bounded by the university’s library, student center, a classroom building and Centennial Lake, the Carter clan waited for the annual spectacle — known as the Lawrence Township fireworks celebration — to begin.
"This is the second year we have come here," 17-year-old Neejai said. "I really do love fireworks. Last year, this was all new to me. I didn’t know what to expect. We like it better here. The fireworks are better."
While Lawrence’s fireworks show is new to the Ewing Township sisters and their brother, Bernice Gottlieb-Smith and her husband, James Smith, have been attending the township’s fireworks every year since they moved to Lawrence 20 years ago.
"This is what we do every year," Ms. Gottlieb-Smith said. "We bring food and we spread a blanket, sit and talk, and enjoy the wonderful company (of family and friends). It’s a great tradition. It’s really a sense of community."
While many folks are content to spread out a picnic supper on a blanket, Kiki Melvin and her family and friends take it very seriously. They put out all of their treats — potato salad, pasta salad, sausage and peppers, hoagies, baked beans and a banana pudding — on a long folding table, decorated with a red-white-and blue tablecloth.
"We all bring something," Ms. Melvin said. "It started seven years ago. We have done this seven years in a row. There are 41 people here now. We all live on Glenn Avenue or Allen Lane. We all just come every year. I’m so excited. Lawrence has the best fireworks."
Meanwhile, some of those who had finished their suppers found ways to amuse themselves as they waited for the fireworks to begin. Some tossed a football, while a toddler was chased down by a young girl who, in turn, was chased down by a mother.
Many others sat on lawn chairs and beach chairs, or stretched out on blankets, and listened to the band Kindred Spirits play an assortment of music. The band is a staple at the Fourth of July fireworks show.
Off in one corner of the field was the Pied Piper of Bubbles — Princeton resident George Kopf, who entertained children by blowing large bubbles from a bucket. He made the concoction himself, using conventional bubble soap and mixing in a few other ingredients.
Standing on a chair, Mr. Kopf dipped a home-made wand — two pieces of bamboo with an elaborate rope strung between them — into the bucket of bubble mix. He held up the wand and waved it slightly, releasing very large bubbles that floated gracefully through the air — until the children gleefully popped the bubble, showering themselves with the bubble mix.
Mr. Kopf said he does the same thing at Princeton’s Fourth of July fireworks show. This is the first time he and his wife and their son and daughter have attended the Lawrence Township fireworks show, he said, adding that his children wanted to see it.
As the sun set and the sky began to darken, the glow of neon necklaces dotted the landscape. Their paths traced by the necklaces, children darted around the field. Nor were the adults immune to the attraction of the necklaces, as some wore them, too.
Then, over the loudspeaker, everyone was asked to stand as the Star Spangled Banner was broadcast over the loudspeakers. A couple of people attempted to sing along — somewhat out of tune. But it’s the spirit that counts.
As soon as the last verse was sung, a lone fireworks shell climbed into the sky and burst into a bloom of red. The fireworks aficionados stood up, clapped their hands and a few seconds later, the sky erupted into multi-colored fireworks. For 30 minutes, the shells burst with nary a break in between them.
Finally, the last shell exploded and people gathered up their chairs and blankets to head for the parking lot. And as quickly as the field filled up three hours earlier, it emptied until there was no one left but a few stragglers.
