Annual firework display moved to 2nd November
Harlow’s annual Bonfire & Firework night celebrations will
be held on Sunday 2 November this year, instead of the more
traditional 5 November, to reduce inconvenience to residents caused
by closing the road near the showground on a week day.
In recent years, the town’s fantastic free
firework display has been held on 5 November, whichever day of the
week it fell on.
But with many of the new homes in the Fifth
Avenue area now occupied and with hundreds of residents from other
parts of Harlow using the thoroughfare to commute to and from work,
the decision and to hold the event on Sunday is designed to
minimise disruption.
Around 15,000 spectators are expected to
attend the display at the Town Park showground, which necessitates
closing part of Fifth Avenue from 6pm for safety reasons. Fewer
cars use the road on a Sunday compared with weekdays and with the
shops closing at 4pm that day, most shoppers will have already left
the area.
Councillor Eddie Johnson, Chairman of the
Community and Environment Committee said: “By holding the event at
the weekend, we hope that more people than ever before will be able
to enjoy the display.
“As ever, we have a great show lined up this
year and we anticipate that the decision to switch it to the
weekend will be welcomed by most people.”
The stretch of road from the traffic lights
near Gladwin Way to the Sainsbury’s roundabout will be closed from
6pm to 10.30pm. The roundabout itself will not be closed so that
motorists will still be able to bypass the area.
The fun will kick off at 6.30pm with music
from the Ten 17 roadshow, followed by the lighting of the bonfire
at 7.15pm by the Chairman of Harlow Council, Councillor Tony Hall.
The firework display starts at 7.45pm and as usual there will be a
funfair on site and food and drink for sale.