Red, White & Blue

[gs3]

The Greenville website has a really great map this year (that I dont remember from the past) of traffic routes into and out of town for the Red, White & Blue Festival, as well as the launch site for fireworks, etc. Well done.

Here is the link:

http://www.greatergreenville.com/city_gove...7/July4_Map.pdf

Should be a huge event this year! Great weather expected.

Happy 4th of July guys!

[GvilleSC]

Happy Independence Day everyone!

Get out, have fun, be crazy, and be safe.

[Galley]

I rode my bike downtown and watched the fireworks from the Rhett St. area. When I got back home that big church on Haywood Rd. was having their show, so I watched that one from my front porch.

[gs3]

Took a few photos of the fireworks downtown (great festival, it was packed with people!) that I'll post if they turned out OK. Nightime shots are hard for me. Anybody take any fantastic shots? RT? Cricket? Skyliner?

[charlie swords]

i have to say that trying to return home to downtown last night around 11 kind of sucked, not because of traffic but by the way the were trying to handle the outbound traffic. Coming from 385 to Riverplace every left turn to get into downtown was blocked we had to go all the way down Academy, past Camperdown Way and then back track back up to Riverplace. Now i understand they are trying to make it easier and more efficient for people leaving but thy have to realize some people live downtown now and might not be attending these events and going elsewhere, therefore they will need to be able to return home in an easy fashion without having to drive past their residence and then back track through the traffic to get there. Nice try but you have to factor in a few more things these days, we're moving soon so it won't affect me much longer but for the sake of anyone else living downtown now or in the future i hope the ciy plns for this a little better next time.

[RestedTraveler]

Took a few photos of the fireworks downtown (great festival, it was packed with people!) that I'll post if they turned out OK. Nightime shots are hard for me. Anybody take any fantastic shots? RT? Cricket? Skyliner?

[RestedTraveler]

A few...you can see from these just how quickly the crowd cleared out:

From the top of the Spring Street Garage:

[RestedTraveler]

I didn't realize this until vwsam clued me in this morning, but the 4th at Furman has been discontinued.

This would explain the extra-huge crowds downtown for Red, White, and Blue.

[linkerjpatrick]

I didn't realize this until vwsam clued me in this morning, but the 4th at Furman has been discontinued.

This would explain the extra-huge crowds downtown for Red, White, and Blue.

[RestedTraveler]

However you can still go to Furman tonight for the 5th.

[goodbye]

I have to say that last night was the busiest I have EVER seen downtown Greenville - as far as auto traffic goes. It was an awesome festival though, one to remember for a lifetime. Sorry gsupstate, my photos of the fireworks suck since I didn't take time in advance to adjust the settings and didn't have a tripod with me. Oh well, they were incredible to see and hear nonetheless. RT, Furman canceled their festival since the numbers of attendees was steadily dwindling. I can't say that I blame them. There is no way they could top what Greenville has created - not to mention they wouldn't have nearly enough parking to handle that many people.

My concern for next year's Red White & Blue festival is how the city will adjust to the high number of vehicles filled with families wanting to find a spot to park and watch the fireworks. One thought I had was to plan way ahead of time and get the word out to everyone. I would love to see the Academy Street bridge closed for people to view the fireworks, but obviously an alternate route would have to be available and easy to navigate. The fact is that Greenville desperately needs a large parking garage in the West End since these events are growing every year - not to mention the fact that the West End itself is growing rapidly. Next year's event will be much larger than the one last night, since the Wing Ding will be in town, adding potentially 14,000+ people to the current total. WOW!

[RestedTraveler]

Next year's event will be much larger than the one last night, since the Wing Ding will be in town, adding potentially 14,000+ people to the current total. WOW!

[RestedTraveler]

This is definitely not the best photo in the world, but to give you some idea of the crowds (if you're reading from out of town):

[gs3]

[GvilleSC]

This one should be a POTD! Excellent shot with fun color.

Greenville News is reporting that this years 4th celebration drew a record crowd. 50k in the official event area and around 75k in downtown.

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs....EWS01/707050324

[goodbye]

The City will have to plan like never before to make next year better. I seriously don't know where we can put anymore vehicles. Since the Carolina First Center will be occupied that week, it is not really an option other than providing bus shuttle service into downtown for those already parked there. Downtown was literally parked way beyond its capacity - with traffic still jammed everywhere else around downtown. And this was during the festival.

[RestedTraveler]

With respect to viewing the fireworks, this is a crazy idea, but...why not shoot them off simultaneously from MULTIPLE locations (i.e. from the South, from the West, from the East, and from the North)? I've been to the Magic Kingdom during holidays such as the 4th and New Years and they shoot them off from all around the park during those events so everyone has a good view no matter where they are. With perhaps 70,000 people turning out next year, this may not be a bad idea for Greenville.

With respect to the parking situation, perhaps people could park at Greenridge, Magnolia Parking Lot Town Center, and Haywood Mall and be shuttled into town for the festival? Maybe even Furman University could be used as a park and ride area for folks up my direction? Also the Tram Trail may see some extensive use during this festival (and others)?

With respect to crowd issues: Perhaps Main Street could be closed from College to Camperdown (instead of just from Court to Camperdown) and lined with more food/beverage/entertainment options to spread the crowd out a bit more, too (especially if fireworks could be shot off from multiple launch sites)?

I think the city could spread things out just enough without spreading their resources too thin for such a huge event.

This one should be a POTD! Excellent shot with fun color.

[GvilleSC]

We talked about a bridge festival on the Church Street bridge a while back. It'd be the best place to watch from. You're elevated, and you've got County Square practically right there with no obstruction considering the height of the fireworks and no overhead trees... Maybe that's too spread out?

[RestedTraveler]

We talked about a bridge festival on the Church Street bridge a while back. It'd be the best place to watch from. You're elevated, and you've got County Square practically right there with no obstruction considering the height of the fireworks and no overhead trees... Maybe that's too spread out?

[gs3]

^ Multiple launch sites are a great idea. This is what Houston does over their downtown (off the tops of buildings).

With 75K in downtown for this event, it almost seems mandatory that Greenville expand this event next year. The city has expanded both Artisphere and Fall for Greenville in the last year....this event should be next.

[goodbye]

...With 75K in downtown for this event, it almost seems mandatory that Greenville expand this event next year. The city has expanded both Artisphere and Fall for Greenville in the last year....this event should be next.

[RestedTraveler]

If I may...Cherrydale, Greenridge, Haywood Mall, and Magnolia Park Town Center's parking issues would likely ease up toward the evening hours as people flock into town (or wherever) for fireworks displays in the evening. Magnolia Park (provided they're built by then) should have multiple parking decks, too. The city could simply collaborate with those centers to promote free shuttle service for shoppers from their respective shopping centers into downtown and back for the festival?

And yes, Furman University has plenty of parking that could be used.

It would take a highly-coordinated effort, but I'm certain that it could be done and be extremely successful.

^ Multiple launch sites are a great idea.

[gs3]

^ With your idea of multiple launch sites around downtown, there would be many more viewing options.....this in turn may disperse the parking somewhat, as everyone wouldn't be trying to find the closest spot to the current "ground zero".

[goodbye]

^ With your idea of multiple launch sites around downtown, there would be many more viewing options.....this in turn may disperse the parking somewhat, as everyone wouldn't be trying to find the closest spot to the current "ground zero".

[gs3]

Ah, but if each launching point is still in downtown, it wouldn't make much of a difference to the parking scenerio, considering every available space in downtown was taken during the festival this year - all the way over to the Heritage Green garage. Not only were these places parked full, but people were out there in huge numbers with lawn chairs awaiting the fireworks - even though many were completely across downtown from the festival. It was incredible.