At our house, we always watched fireworks from our front window. But when I was 16, I wanted to see them in person with a friend. Trouble is, my friend's brother had been busted, and my foster dad had read the news. He said no, period.
Thus thwarted, I pitched a hissy fit with the melodrama of a heartbroken teenage girl: Tears, pacing, sighs, and little sniffles ensued. I muttered how unfair, that everybody got to see the fireworks in person.
Pop was implacable. Did he already wear hearing aids, and simply turn them off? We could see the fireworks while I was carrying on, so claiming deprivation didn't sell. Pop didn't negotiate with a teenage terrorist. Once he had said no, he didn't say anything more.
So, fast forward, to this year. I finally got to see the fireworks in person – and from the party at the Coal Sheds, it might have been the best seat in town. Thank you Southern Land Company, now Mare Island Company! They did have a cover charge, but they had activities for kids like face painting and glitter tattoos, plus a full schedule of events, food trucks, and the hook that got me there, the Chapkis Dance Team.
About Chapkis Dance. Did you know that they are a world-renowned dance team – from Fairfield no less? Did you know that they are going to the Olympics of hip-hop dance, the 2022 Hip Hop World Championship? They are one of only three teams to represent the USA.
Chapkis brought their full ensemble – from little ones (maybe 3 years old?), to teenagers and young adults. And they crushed it!
Team members come from across Solano County, including Vallejo, and even from Sacramento. They have different age groups, all mixed gender, and beautifully diverse. It's a studio that reflects the very best of our country. Not incidentally, Greg is an immigrant – he and his parents are from Ukraine. Greg's mom owns Dance Unlimited on Georgia Street.
So, great entertainment, food, artisanal beer, and even the guilty pleasure of also seeing the illegal fireworks along the Vallejo waterfront, plus the more showy official ones. I left feeling in love with my hometown. While recovery from the base closure and bankruptcy has been glacial, this is a big improvement from when Gracie's and Victory Surplus had to fundraise for our fireworks.
Thank you, Vallejo, Mare Island Company and Chapkis Dance!
— Anne Carr/Vallejo
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