Today is July 1.
Tomorrow — 2 days ahead of the holiday — the annual PAL fireworks will light the sky over Compo Beach. It’s Westport’s biggest and best party of the year.
It also has a major impact on traffic.
The beach closes to the public at 4 p.m. Only vehicles with fireworks passes hanging from their rearview mirrors can stay in the parking lot. The beach reopens to ticket holders no later than 5 p.m.
Access to the fireworks is through Compo Road South only. Hillspoint Road south of Greens Farms Road will be closed to through traffic.
Uber, Lyft and taxi services will drop riders off where Soundview Drive runs into Compo Road South. However, return service will not be possible until 11 p.m., due to one-way traffic exiting the beach. There will be delays of an hour or so after the fireworks end (approximately 9:30 to 9:45) for residents return to the Compo Beach area from elsewhere, and for anyone picking up people at the beach.
Westport Police emphasize that parking restrictions in the Compo Beach area will be strictly enforce. No parking is allowed on Compo Road South and Hillspoint Road. Illegally parked vehicles will be ticketed, and towed to Longshore parking lot F.
The fireworks are sponsored by Melissa and Doug Bernstein, and are an important fundraiser for Westport PAL. A few tickets remain, at the Parks & Recreation Department office in Longshore (during business hours), and the police station.
The traffic is worth it. (Photo/Elissa Moses)
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Speaking of the fireworks: If you’re headed there via Hillspoint Road, you’ll see one less historic home.
The “Captain Allen” home fell to the wrecking ball this week. Named for the founder of the old Allen’s Clam House, it stood on Sherwood Mill Pond near Burnham Hill for over a century.
(Photos/Jimmy Izzo)
(Photo/Matt Murray)
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Speaking of old homes: Bob Weingarten launches his new book “Westport, Connecticut: The Old and New Historical Accounts, 1639–2025” with a special reception July 7 (6 p.m., Westport Book Shop). It’s a deep dive into Westport’s past — with a particular emphasis on homes, and the Greens Farms neighborhood.
The event is co-sponsored by MoCA\CT, in conjunction with their new exhibition, “Looking for History.”
The evening includes wine, light bites, a book signing, and Westport memories. Guests can purchase the book before it becomes available to the public the next day. RSVPs are required; click here.
Bob Weingarten, at his historic house.
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Speaking of book launches: The Westport Library is the setting for “Ransom,” The latest Gabriel Allon thriller gets the star treatment July 14 (6:30 p.m.).
Silva will be joined in conversation by his wife, CNN correspondent Jamie Gangel — proving, the Library says, “he’s nearly as fearless as his iconic protagonist.”
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Back to the fireworks: Preparations are well underway for tomorrow’s bash.
Parks & Recreation, Police, Fire, EMS … everyone is getting ready.
Including the most important folks of all, seen earlier this morning at Compo Beach:
(Photo/Amy Schneider)
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Motown music is the soundtrack of many lives.
Today, for example, has us thinking of Martha & the Vandellas’ “Heat Wave.”
On August 14 (7 p.m.), we’ll be “Dancing in the Street.” Well, at least the aisle.
That’s when the Westport Country Playhouse welcomes “Motown in Your Town.”
The Motown Band brings Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Supremes, Four Tops — and many other stars — to life.
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”? You don’t have to. Just click here for tickets, and more information.
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Last night’s Pics of the Day featured Monday’s full “strawberry” moon.
Here’s another view, from Compo Beach’s Ned Dimes Marina — a great addition to our “Westport … Naturally” gallery.
(Photo/Lawrence Zlatkin)
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And finally … speaking of Motown coming to the Westport Country Playhouse (above) — and the weather:
(As Westport swelters — and gets ready to celebrate America’s big birthday — “06880” is here with you. That’s how we roll. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support us. Thanks!)
Can’t wait for the 7am pictures of the self-important squatters setting up their ridiculous “camps” for the fireworks.
Evergreen reply: these are your friends and neighbors getting ready to celebrate with the community at the town’s best party. I’ve yet to hear a single actual example of how this makes anybody’s experience worse, so I would recommend heading down to join them rather than sitting behind a screen passing judgment.
Captain Allen was a prominent Westport figure and his namesake clam house legendary. His home was a true treasure. I’m deeply saddened that it, like so many others, has been lost to the wrecking ball. I can’t understand why anyone would erase a piece of our shared past. Home by home, building by building, Westport and much of New England are losing the historic character that once defined us.
I’m not quite sure I would classify Westport as having any New England flavor. Jersey Shore more perhaps.
What other parts of NE are losing their historic touch in your opinion?
Places like Kennebunkport, Rockport. and parts of the Cape have seen working waterfronts shrink as property values push out fishermen and year-round residents in favor of short-term rentals. I could mention other examples too.
Westport is different. Westport’s own town history page states the town has “one of the highest, if not the highest, rates of tear downs in the state.” It’s a “ lot by lot “ tear down over the years.
What year were last in Kennebunkport?
My brother in law lives in Maine. I know many people there.
JP, I contacted a friend of mine who lived her entire life in Saco, Maine , 8 miles away from Kennebunkport, and sent her my comment about Kennebunkport and asked her how accurate I was. This was her written reply-“ I would say yes in a way. It’s still charming but it’s being overrun by tourists and people from out of state buying up all the restate “ There’s a response from someone 8 miles away!
Maybe the new owners have no connection to Captain Allen or Allen’s Clam House and to them it’s just another old house that’s a tear down. It’s the new Westport. Of course I’m assuming there’s a new owner. We’ll eventually find out what replaces it.