WDVE Radio began broadcasting at noon live from the Park. From our room at the
Hilton across the street, we watched the crowd growing to 40,000 -- and KDKA-TV. A blood drive, family activities, and volleyball were the first events to commence -- not interesting to us, but we saw street entertainers. We meandered over for vendors' food, enjoyed sun at the fountain and shade along paths with inviting benches. We would visit the Fort Pitt Museum and Blockhouse in the morning. That was last year.
This year, we found Hilton booked a week before the event, so we stayed at Westin. Again, we watched KDKA, this time expecting cancellation. "200,000 expected downtown tonight," we heard. News anchors stayed in touch with event officials. Heavy sheets of rain slithering down our window made skyscrapers appear to crumble, but the show was "a go"! We walked to the park too late for the adult climbing wall or hot air balloon -- rained out. Next year, we’ll get off the ground! For now, park, music, and fireworks were enough for a special holiday.
After we situated ourselves close to the stage, we surveyed vendors’ offerings: fried rice, chicken-on-a-stick, fajitas, pizza, stuffed grape leaves, and "healthy" popcorn, the man insisted. It was good -- with honey. We got Philly cheesesteaks since it was an American holiday, but went back for fried rice.
"The hills are alive . . .!" Remembering their phenomenal reception in Austria, music and hearts swelled, and then the aymphony played patriotic favorites. I could see Mariss Jansons conducting, so animated. He has won awards for both music and "community involvement" and is considered "a Pittsburgh treasure." "Clip-clop, clip-clop -- On the Trail Again," and I was glad I was not on the trail, felt lucky to have this special geography with my favorite skyline peeking through trees, favorite hills surrounding. Now the 1812 Overture, and that was our cue to get close to the fountain and river.
"Crackle" and "boom" and WDVE’s soundtrack punctuated every incandescent explosion with the appropriate musical phrase until the sky was so full of smoke it couldn’t hold any more! Lights on Mount Washington and the Duquesne Incline lit the hill while those of the stadium and Science Center reflected in the water. Fort Pitt Bridge overhead gleamed iridescent, a yellow arabesque above the trees. Fifty thousand were "glad to be an American," and then it was all over but the shouting.
Next morning, we went back to experience the park in solitude, as Hilton guests do. Walking paths afford views of rivers, and bike paths link with longer ones. Mid-1700’s, two great nations almost fought for this ground--French abandoned Fort Duquesne without a battle. The ramparts of the original moat are unearthed and stone walks recreated where walls of the fort stood. Fort Pitt Museum of French and Indian War gave us insight into Pittsburgh’s earliest history and the importance of the "Golden Triangle," degenerated into a slum and then razed with "Renaissance Project" to create the park.