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BOSTON (WHDH) - Singer LeAnn Rimes and her band were on the Hatch Shell stage doing a sound check Thursday afternoon.
“I actually thought that was a tape,” said Walter Noons, a songwriter from Dorchester. “And then when I came down, I saw it was a real band. I figured I’d check ’em out.”
The sneak peak of the fun is still to come, as America celebrates its birthday, a treasure to those who happened by.
“It’s a surprise, we didn’t expect this today,” said passerby Fran Hanners. “So, it was nice.”
“It’s safe and good, and memorable,” said Cathy Collmeyer. “Yeah, a lot of good things.”
Soldiers from the Massachusetts Army National Guard set up four howitzers, three of which will be used to fire off blanks on the banks of the Charles during the fireworks spectacular, set to a classical piece by Tchaikovsky.
The Pops Fireworks Spectacular has been a Fourth of July tradition since 1974. Soldiers from Charlie Batter, First Battalion of the 101st Field Artillery Regiment are making sure they’re ready.
To get the timing right, there will be a couple of people reading sheet music during the 1812 overture. One of them, the son of the famed Pops Conductor Arthur Fielder, cuing the howitzers.
Sergeant Matt Jodin, of Beverly, cherishes this event, and his family watches him fire off the howitzers.
It’s a tremendous honor to get the ability to do this every year,” said Jodin. “I’m truly grateful that they picked out unit to partake in this every year. I will always sign up for these events, as much as I can.”
Security will be tight and roads in the area will be closed.
The gates open at noon Friday. People will rush in to grab their piece of turf on the esplanade’s oval. People can set up lawn chairs and pop up tents. Coolers and blankets up to 10 by 10 are allowed too.
Some things are forbidden, including coolers on wheels, back packs, glass containers, bikes, and drones.
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