The 411 on July 4th Weekend Fireworks @ Playland and Rye Town Park’s Oakland Beach
The July 4th holiday weekend is just a few days away. If you are looking to enjoy evening fireworks at Rye Playland, or perhaps a day at Rye Town Park’s Oakland Beach, here is what you need to know.
Playland Fireworks
Rye Playland, under the new management of Standard Amusements, will be hosting fireworks shows at 9:15pm on Saturday, July 2nd; Sunday, July 3rd; and Monday, July 4th.
Special FX Wizard is running the fireworks show, and a spokesperson promises “high energetic fireworks displays once again. With an increased fallout area this year, the display will fill the sky over the park with breathtaking scenes, including gold willows from approximately 500′ in the sky cascading down as if to touch the ground. The show will also include crowd favorites like glowing red Hearts, twinkly smiling faces and other impressive effects.”
After July 4th weekend, Playland will start regular fireworks displays every Friday evening at 9:15pm for the rest of the summer.
Pro tip: You do not need to be in Playland Amusement Park to view the fireworks. The beach boardwalk area, the grassy berm on the way into Playland and areas in Rye Town Park all offer views of the fireworks.
Rye Beaches
The Playland Beach, now under the management of Standard Amusements, remains closed to the public. The public Playland pool and bathhouses remain under renovation, and it is not clear when this work will finish or if other accommodations will be made to open Playland Beach this summer.
The adjacent Oakland Beach, part of the 62 acre Rye Town Park, is available for sun seekers but make sure you know the rules. On July 2, 3 and 4th Rye Town Park parking
and beach access is only available to residents of Port Chester, Rye Brook, Rye Neck and the City of Rye and non-residents who have a permit. Non-residents without a permit will be turned away. Residents with permits pay lower fees for parking and beach access. You can apply for a permit online.
“If the weather cooperates, we can expect larger crowds than normal for the July 4th weekend,” Rye Town Park Director Russ Gold told MyRye.com. “At the June meeting of the Rye Town Park Commission a resolution passed allowing for restricted access to RTP/Oakland Beach for the entire holiday weekend.”
Playland Amusement Park
Playland Park will be open 12pm – 11pm on Friday, July 1st and 11am – 11pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Check with Playland, but a number areas in the park remain under renovation. Westchester residents can get a great deal – a season pass for $89.99. Non-residents are $129.99. Holiday parking rates are $20, and you can also buy various singe day general admission tickets. See what is right for you.
Traffic and Parking Enforcement
In the past, Playland Parkway can backup from Playland all the way to the I-95 exit for the big fireworks shows. Either come early, or try and avoid Playland Parkway completely. Don’t park on City streets in and around Playland and Rye Town Beach – seasonal parking restrictions are in effect and you will get ticketed.
“We are anticipating a very busy weekend with a lot of visitors to the City on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday,” Lieutenant Mike Anfuso of the City of Rye Police told MyRye.com. “We will have a detail putting out barricades on side streets in the beach area on Friday night. Our parking enforcement division will be working all weekend long enforcing the no beach area parking restrictions.”
Stay safe, arrive early, carpool if you can, wear sunscreen and have fun.
