BOSTON (WHDH) - Fireworks are not the only booming presence on the Esplanade every Fourth of July.
The iconic cannons were tested Thursday to ensure everything goes off with a bang during the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular later on in the evening.
Emily Chen, a member of the Massachusetts Army National Guard, is one of the people making sure everything’s ready for the show.
Chen says a lot of people are intrigued by the massive cannons fired every year during the 1812 Overture.
“Definitely a lot of people have come up and are just like, curious so, it’s cool for the kids,” she said.
Even though the ceremonial rounds are blanks, they definitely pack a punch.
“It’s funny because people ask, you know, ‘does anything come out,” National Guardsman Jarryn Edwards said. “But, no, we don’t shoot live rounds here. But, you know it gives people just a glimpse on something that we do and a little understanding on how we operate.”
Spectators say that glimpse offers more than just a heartstopping adrenaline rush.
“It’s really a good feeling to know that, I mean, the military is here, the state police is here,” one woman remarked.
Plus, those watching the warmup say the sound of artillery fire crackling through Boston on the Fourth of July brings a feeling with it that is hard to describe.
“The sound of the firing, like, it just takes you back,” the woman continued. “You know, 243 years it’s such a, you know? I had tears in my eyes this morning when we were watching this.”
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