Middletown Issues Boater Safety Rules For June 27 Fireworks On Connecticut River

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Boaters planning to watch Middletown's fireworks from the Connecticut River on Saturday, June 27, are being asked to follow several safety rules tied to the festival display. According to a press release labeled a boater safety reminder for the Middletown Fireworks Festival, the guidance applies to people heading out on the river to watch the show.

The release says the large orange buoys surrounding the fireworks barge mark a restricted safety area and tells boaters not to enter that zone at any time. It also says a no-wake zone extends from the Railroad Bridge continuously south to beyond Portland Boat Works Marina. Boaters are asked to operate at a safe, no-wake speed to protect other boaters, docks and shoreline property.

The notice also says designated North and South Safety Zones will be available for people who want to anchor and watch the fireworks from the river. According to the release, boaters are strongly recommended to anchor on the same side of the river they plan to depart from. The release says that after the fireworks display, boat traffic will not be permitted near the fireworks barge for an extended period, which would make it difficult to cross from one side of the river to the other.

The guidance includes a separate restriction for Harbor Park and Tate's Restaurant. According to the release, for safety reasons, boaters docked at Harbor Park/Tate's Restaurant will not be permitted on their boats during the fireworks display.

The reminder focuses on traffic flow and safe viewing areas for people planning to be on the river during one of Middletown's seasonal community events. The restricted area around the barge, the no-wake stretch and the designated anchoring zones are all intended to manage boat movement during the display and in the period immediately afterward, according to the document.

The safety reminder was issued ahead of the Saturday, June 27 fireworks festival. Boaters planning to attend from the river are being directed to stay outside the buoy-marked area, use the no-wake zone and plan their departure side before anchoring, according to the release.