From Miles Away Came the Booms

For the first time in years I wasn’t able to attend the annual CV Fireworks Association display. I was stuck home in bed fighting a nasty head cold. I originally had planned to attend the pre-dusk festivities then head home to be with the dogs during the big booms of the fireworks. (If you remember from last week’s column, we have a new dog ­– Molly – and we weren’t sure how she’d react to the fireworks. Turns out she was fine.)

But I was sick on Monday and Tuesday, better on Wednesday, and didn’t feel well enough to make it Crescenta Valley High School to see all the pre-fireworks fun on Tuesday. I know a highlight of the day was the presentation of scholarships to deserving Prom Plus individuals. Mary O’Keefe made those presentations, with support by State Senator Anthony Portantino, and knowing the recipients as I do I know they were well deserved. Congratulations to those CVHS graduates!

I know the music was terrific with Jasper Kugler and the CV Brass Quintet starting the show earlier in the day before the main attraction: the Mary Dyer Band.

Steve and I listened to the Mary Dyer Band often during the days of COVID. The Mary Dyer Band provided what I call “concrete concerts” on Sunday evenings during the pandemic. They played at the intersection of (you guessed it) Mary and Dyer streets in La Crescenta. Over time the number of attendees to those concerts swelled to the point that Los Gringos Locos was on-site selling Mexican fare and a dance floor was set up (complete with disco ball!) for experienced dancers. On Dyer Street, there was always a crowd of listeners and some dancers who’d take to the asphalt, ready to do the Electric Slide or some kind of free form dance, enjoying the sounds of these experienced musicians. Steve and I would either grab dinner from Los Gringos or bring in Subway, settle in our canvas chairs and just listen. We saw many folks there who we knew; it really was a community event. I’m forever grateful to the Mary Dyer Band for bringing some joy during uncertain times.

And kudos to the CV Fireworks Association. Like the Mary Dyer Band, its members (all volunteers) work hard to bring joy to our community. (Full disclosure: my husband Steve has been a member of the CVFA for years and this year was president of the non-profit.) Admission to the annual fireworks is kept super-reasonable and ensures future events. (As an aside I know – not information from Steve – that some people questioned the need to buy tickets. Seriously? How do they think this event is put on every year?)

To me events like the fireworks display and the concrete concerts reflect the sense of community that we share in the Crescenta Valley and are just more reasons why I like to call CV home.