Golden Beach set to set off fireworks

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

The neighborhood's civic association is making a day of it with a parade starting at 11 a.m. and food and activities at the pavilion from noon to 2 p.m.

While anyone can attend or watch, "it's more of just a Golden Beach type of thing," said Dale Antosh, one of several directors of the civic association.

This year's fireworks could be exceptional because the contract is expiring for the display company. "They should be even bigger this year," he said. The civic association pays for the pyrotechnics.

"We've raised the money by doing different things," Antosh said, a retired school teacher. "Sometimes we literally walk the street and ask for donations. This year we didn't have to do that because we did four or five fundraisers."

There was a picture with Santa event during Christmas, which included selling Christmas trees; a fishing tournament for children; a car show; and a flea market.

This year's fireworks cost between $4,000 and $10,000. The association gets a better price blowing up fireworks before the Fourth of July.

Donations will be accepted from spectators this weekend as well. People from across the Patuxent River in Calvert have also made donations since they get to see the show as well, Antosh said.

"It's like Mayberry down here — it's just a great place to live. The people down here are very friendly," Antosh said. He and his wife have owned a lot there since 1957. They later built a beach cottage and visited on a part-time basis, but moved down from Upper Marlboro about a year ago to a home they built on the lot.

To learn more about the fireworks, visit www.ourgoldenbeach.com.

JASON BABCOCK