[UPDATE] Presented Without Comment: Compo Beach, 10 a.m.

Posted on July 3, 2019 | 48 Comments

(Photo/Laura Bryer)

And at 10:30:

(Photo/Patricia McMahon)

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48 responses to “[UPDATE] Presented Without Comment: Compo Beach, 10 a.m.”

  1. Matthew Mandell | July 3, 2019 at 10:29 am |

    Looks like it’s going to be a great party!!!!

    I love this event, 2 reason – 1. It’s fun and so many people come out. 2. I don’t have to do anything for it other than hang and have a great time.

    SEE YOU ALL OUT THERE. HAPPY 4th!!!!

  2. Tom Ziobro | July 3, 2019 at 10:30 am |

    The entitlement of Westport grows everyday!

  3. Bobbie Herman | July 3, 2019 at 10:38 am |

    I think I spot a square foot of sand that I can sit on. Unless it’s already been taken.

  4. Jennie Pickering | July 3, 2019 at 10:39 am |

    where’s the flock of seagulls when you need them??? 🙂

  5. Richard Fogel | July 3, 2019 at 10:44 am |

    maybe they were donors. At Trumps July 4 campaign event his donaters are awarded special seats. The world is layered. Top tiers are always first. Airplanes,rental cars, sporting events,theater ,restaurants,college admissions, health care, etc . The top tier expects first class every where from every one. I assure you that none of those seats belong to the undocumented immigrants who hold our country together. None of those chairs are from the good people that build and remodel our homes, that make and prepare our food, that baby sit our children, and even fight in our military. The police and or fire department should consider removing the chairs or supervise who enters.

    • Bob Stalling | July 3, 2019 at 4:49 pm |

      Wow, even chairs on compo beach are Trumps fault…no lack of TDS here.
      And lets all sign the petition to have the police and fire department kick out all the non deserving Westport taxpayers and have them bus in the illegals….oops, I mean non documented immigrants, oops. I mean true deserving Americans.
      By the way, I grew up in Westport and served in the Marine Corps….I feel so guilty.

  6. Erik Østbye | July 3, 2019 at 10:45 am |

    This is ridiculous!! Send in the “beach-police”!! Unless someone is using the chairs in the next hour, fold them up and put them away!!

  7. Pat Saviano | July 3, 2019 at 10:49 am |

    Nothing has ever been done to stop it so of course more and more people do it every year.

  8. Tom Cook | July 3, 2019 at 11:01 am |

    True Pat, but this must stop. It is outrageous and disgusting. I just called Parks & rec [got voice mail] and left a message about his situation and exhorting them to take action!

  9. Bart Shuldman | July 3, 2019 at 11:05 am |

    Dan-while you are trying to highlight an issue, are you in turn driving more people to get to the beach now and claim their spot? Are those photos helpful? Just had to ask.

  10. Bob Wiggans | July 3, 2019 at 11:10 am |

    Where’s Waldo?!!!

  11. Jill Turner Odice | July 3, 2019 at 11:10 am |

    How about if somebody just collects all this stuff and sets it all up by the entrance and sells it to folks who actually get in line to see the fireworks. Just think of all the revenue 🙂

  12. Nancy Marino | July 3, 2019 at 11:10 am |

    If this photo from today? You have got to be kidding….So many other places that do the fireworks just as nice or better and no one does what is seen in this picture……

  13. Nikki Ryan | July 3, 2019 at 11:16 am |

    I read your blog every day. Never comment. Except today. We stopped attending years ago. Too stressful. I agree if no one is in the chairs it’s not fair to the people who do work today and can’t get there to “reserve” a spot. But it’s not parks and rec’s responsibility. Not sure the solution, but why turn it to politics? Westport is a great town and like all other towns we have our share of entitled people who unfortunately give us a bad rap. Happy 4th! Talk to you next year…..

  14. India Penney | July 3, 2019 at 11:19 am |

    This is why I’ve never even attempted this event.
    Once, before it moved, we had dinner reservations at Positano by Old Mill and watched from there with the other patrons. We sang “America the Beautiful”. That was lovely.

    Every August on Martha’s Vineyard there’s a spectacular fireworks display over Ocean Park (beside the water) in Oak Bluffs. As you can imagine, the turnout is massive. And yet no one tries to stake enormous claims like they do here. Many come early and have a picnic dinner first. Others come later. I’ve shown up 30 minutes ahead with 4 or 5 friends on more than one occasion and, as crowded as it is, there’s always room for our beach towels. Or, if there’s not QUITE enough space, people around us will adjust a little to accommodate … just as we do for others who arrive even later. I believe that’s possible because I never see CIRCLES of towels or chairs, with empty space in the middle. People place their chairs/towels/blankets side by side so every bit of space is available to everyone. Kids run around freely until it starts filling up. It’s all about community and sharing. Strangers laughing with strangers. It’s always a happy and moving event.

  15. Tammy Barry | July 3, 2019 at 11:39 am |

    We all love our Westport Town Fireworks!!

  16. Bunny Franco | July 3, 2019 at 11:42 am |

    OMG

  17. Mark Yurkiw | July 3, 2019 at 11:44 am |

    So nice of the town to put out seating for everyone…..ushers with flashlights to find my seat would be nice…are the parking spots by reservation as well?

    Dan, could it be that your original post alerted everyone to scramble today. Maybe you can try it again and see if you can get everyone to do the wave, pun intended. I stopped going when it took longer sitting in traffic then watching the fireworks.

  18. Harry Smiley | July 3, 2019 at 11:52 am |

    Sucks for regular beach goers who may not be able to attend fireworks. Such friendly polite people.

  19. Dermot Meuchner | July 3, 2019 at 11:54 am |

    Utter joke. Humans are a sorry lot.

  20. Theresa Kovacs | July 3, 2019 at 11:55 am |

    What time do I have to leave the beach today?

  21. Jenny Rago | July 3, 2019 at 12:10 pm |

    Is this for real??? What is wrong with people???
    I hope the rest of us have a rule abiding, happy and safe holiday!

  22. Nancy Marino | July 3, 2019 at 12:38 pm |

    So true what India Penny said about Martha’s Vineyard fireworks. We spend a lot of time there and the fireworks are wonderful and no one does what you see in the picture above. It is a wealthy island, but the folks there have a different attitude

  23. Susan Iseman | July 3, 2019 at 12:40 pm |

    Imagine if a storm such as the one we had this past weekend arrived? Bye bye beach chairs.

  24. Patrick Church | July 3, 2019 at 1:03 pm |

    Toss them allaway its rude and obviously they do not know any form of class or etiquette.

  25. Thomas D Neilly | July 3, 2019 at 1:38 pm |

    Where’s the Beach?

  26. Jeffrey Jones | July 3, 2019 at 2:17 pm |

    Half the fun on the Fourth growing up was getting to Compo Beach when “the gates opened”, trying to get the next, best spot. And once I was driving, I could experience the madness myself…, with a carload of friends [and some beers]. Spreading out blankets and lying under the fireworks, exploding and driving us into the sand. BOOM!
    These “folks” have no clue.
    As someone said above, “…ushers with flashlights to show you to your chairs?” A crying shame. Glad I’m all growed up!

  27. Jeffrey Jones | July 3, 2019 at 2:23 pm |

    I couldn’t look away.
    Then
    I looked into the background; there’s the seawall, down by the cannons! That’s where we parked and spread our blankets out.
    These folks aren’t even in the same Zip Code as the fireworks once were.
    Still shameful. So sad.
    God bless America. Njoy the Fourth!

  28. Catherine Barrett | July 3, 2019 at 2:52 pm |

    Have always preferred Weston’s 4th festivities.

  29. Russell Gontar | July 3, 2019 at 3:04 pm |

    While America celebrates its birth, Westport showcases greed and self-entitlement.

    “…all through the day, I, me, mine….”

    • Richard Fogel | July 3, 2019 at 8:36 pm |

      they should bring tanks to compo beach

      • Bob Stalling | July 4, 2019 at 1:15 pm |

        More TDS.
        Richard, you act as though Westport is a town with a majority of Republicans…
        What are you basing this on?

  30. Tom Feeley Sr | July 3, 2019 at 4:46 pm |

    Poor Dan! Don’t these people know Westporters have been doing it like this for 50 years! It would be impossible to get all these chairs in after 4PM. Traffic is cut off. Streets are packed. These folks are smart, not entitled. Find something else to complain about! Happy 4th Dan & Westport!!

    • Cristina Negrin | July 3, 2019 at 6:17 pm |

      Never used to be like this 20 – 25 years ago. That’s why I don’t go any more

    • Russell Gontar | July 4, 2019 at 1:40 pm |

      Nonsense. I spent plenty of time at compo beach growing up and I never saw a scene like that is depicted in this these photos. This is a public beach. It is not your private beach to hog when you’re not even there. It is not available to cordon off hundreds of feet of beach for your future use. It is not your beach. It belongs to the the town. You are free to bring your chair and to sit in it. You are not free to say this is my section of the beach and this space is mine to use when I eventually get around to using it. If ever.

      I repeat, all through the day, I, me, mine, I me, mine, I me, mine.

  31. Bart Shuldman | July 3, 2019 at 5:12 pm |

    Arrived at beach to plenty of open spots. A Westport treasure. No need to complain. Come down and enjoy the evening. Stop by and have a cocktail with us. All invited.

    Bart Shuldman

  32. Marlene Powers | July 3, 2019 at 9:00 pm |

    If that picture was at 10:00 A.M. one can only imagine what Compo looked like at 2:30 when I went by. and all the way to the cannons. The beach sand looked blue it was so covered with chairs. Yes, covered with chairs not people!!!

  33. Peter Gambaccini | July 3, 2019 at 9:12 pm |

    Unless things have changed a lot, I think you can see the fireworks quite well from Burying Hill Beach … and not wait in a traffic jam on the way home.

  34. Bonnie Bradley | July 3, 2019 at 9:15 pm |

    Musician in video with brown hair, wearing white shirt and sunglasses looks a lot like the teenage Buell Neidlinger. We won’t forget you ever, sweetheart. ❤️

  35. Bj Magnes | July 4, 2019 at 6:10 pm |

    Wrong. Grew up there in 60s and early 70s. Never saw this circus.