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Thousands gather for the 25th Annual Great American Boom in New Britain

NEW BRITAIN – Thousands of people gathered at Stanley Quarter Park for the annual Great American Boom. This was the 25th year the event has been put on and it i...

NEW BRITAIN – Thousands of people gathered at Stanley Quarter Park for the annual Great American Boom.

This was the 25th year the event has been put on and it is the only show in Connecticut that puts on a fireworks display on the Fourth of July. The Great American Boom has always been New Britain’s well-known event, a longtime tradition that reunites thousands of people from all over.

Organizers said people should always arrive on an empty stomach as there were close to 14 food vendors ranging from authentic Puerto Rican food to freshly made fried dough.

“We’re making about 500 pieces of dough and then we stretch it up, put it in the fryer and off they go” said Jack Dunphy of Bakery Boys Fried Dough.

There were carnival games, a photo booth and of course, the music.

“People always walk away saying ‘man, I wish we could do that next weekend,’ “ said Craig Bowman of the New Britain Parks and Recreation.

At one point, FOX 61 decided to walk through the crowds to ask people what Fourth of July meant to them and each person gave a unique answer.

“It means celebration, festivities, and overall the Independence of America,” added Dunphy.

“Celebrating another year of America and hopefully getting stronger, getting more diverse, us coming together and positivity,” said Kareem Skinner of New Britain.

“A celebration of the birth of our country and the freedoms that we all enjoy,” said Leila Jocelyn of Glastonbury.

“To me, it’s not actually when the country started but it was when they all agreed on that and agreed what their reasons were for wanting to be an independent country,” said Steve Dreifach of Glastonbury.

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