I know the calender says summer doesn't end until the autumnal equinox, about Sept. 20, but Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, isn't it? And, in Cincinnati, that means WEBN's Riverfest, with the most spectacular fireworks I have ever seen. This year was the 30th anniversary of the fireworks show, which started as a celebration of the radio station's 10th anniversary. (Equals WEBN's 40th, if I did the math right.)
I have gone down to the river for the fireworks show several times, but not lately, as it gets harder every year to fight the crowds. I hadn't intended on going this year, until I got an invitation to a CE (continuing education) seminar given by our drug rep for Schering-Plough. A river cruise to the fireworks. With open bar and scrumptious food. On a yacht. Oh, I guess I will force myself to go. If I have to.
"Our" yacht, the CQ Princess. It took her 12 hours to come up river from Louisville for the event. Some of the staff drove up, rather than coming on the boat. It took them an hour by car.
A part of the upstairs lounge area, with one of the tables set for dinner.
The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge over the Ohio River. This was Roebling's "practice" bridge, before he built the Brooklyn Bridge. Completed in 1866, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, until surpassed by the Brooklyn Bridge. If you saw the movie "Rainman," the bridge had a cameo role. (Dustin Hoffman mimicked the humming noise made by car tires as you drive over the metal deck.) The Suspension Bridge is my favorite Cincinnati landmark.
The Kentucky shoreline is packed with pleasure boats and the flood wall is beginning to fill with spectators. This is about 2 hours BEFORE the fireworks were scheduled to start. Die-hard fans stake out their spots early in the morning, if not during the days leading up to this party.
The B&B riverboat, River Queen, docked at the Public Landing, awaits the fireworks.
And here they are:
Oooooh!
Aaaaah!
Oooooh!
Aaaaah!
Exotic palm trees
The finale. The fireworks are over for another year. Good-bye, summer.
"Ribbit, Ribbit!"
5 comments:
Man, I haven't been to the WEBN fireworks since....hmm...let me think. Maybe 1992? I still have a scar on my leg from climbing over a concrete wall to escape the crowds swarming back to the Fountain Square parking lot.
The crowds and the "Show us your t*ts" stuff is too nuts for an old broad like me.
Oh, you poor thing. Having to watch fireworks while standing on a yacht. What a trooper.
Wow, great shots! Were the "palm trees" really supposed to be palm trees, or is that your creative imagination at work?
Thanks for the shots of Cincy. We spent three happy years there, and have fond memories of our stay while my husband completed his residency at UC Medical Center. One of children was born at Christ Hospital in 1976. What a great city.
Susan:
You should go to the Newport flood wall on the Kentucky side. Except for the first year I went, when everybody carried in a ton of alcohol and I was tripping over drunks, the people there are much more restrained. Since the alcohol ban, Riverboat Row has been very family-friendly. No one ever asked me to show them my t*ts. (Wait - maybe I should be insulted about that.)
Sis:
Thanks, I did get a few decent photos. With the time-delay, I got more streaking than explosions. The trees were all in my mind, I don't think they were actually supposed to be anything.
~Kat
Kat at the fireworks - ( * )( * ) Did you get any beads? Oh wait, wrong celebration ;)
The *one* thing I miss about working at the doc's office, besides the docs themselves, are the drug reps. I know schmoozing is their job but the goodies they gave us! Lunches every week, tins of cookies and popcorn, Krispy Kremes and bagels, gelatos. And all the giveways. I never ran out of pens and notepads at home. Keychains and flashlights and pedometers. I still have Spectracef and Omnicef magnetic clips on my fridge. Ethan thought it was a never ending booty chest with me working there.
Reading that back over...no wonder Rxs cost so damn much.
Post a Comment