Boston weather forced tens of thousands of people off the Esplanade on Saturday during the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular. Organizers and state police cleared the area around 6 p.m. after a severe weather alert as powerful thunderstorms moved in.
The evacuation lasted about 20 minutes. Many revelers sheltered in a nearby tunnel, then returned quickly to the Hatch Shell for the show.
Maura Healey on the response
Maura Healey said the crews handled the evacuation well and credited the people who moved the crowd out and back in. “They did an excellent job. All these people were able to safely get out, and now they’re back … getting ready for the show. A huge credit to our Massachusetts State Police, to our DCR workforce, to the National Guard, people need to appreciate that there are so many people working around to clock to make sure we get to enjoy a wonderful Fourth of July.”
The governor’s comments described the practical side of the response: a fast crowd move, a short shelter period, and a quick return to the event. Tens of thousands of people had gathered on the Esplanade for the fireworks show before the alert interrupted the celebration.
Keith Lockhart at the show
Keith Lockhart spoke before the delay announcement around 6 p.m. and said, “It’s really wonderful to take a tradition and look at it and be able to give it a bit of an update and an upgrade.” He also said, “We’ve changed the stage a little, and the lighting, and the way things look. My message to Americans is that everything is possible if we drop our grievances and come together.”
The event resumed after the brief sheltering period, with many people back at the Hatch Shell for the show. The immediate question left by the disruption is whether the severe weather alert led to anything beyond the short evacuation.
