Star-spangled Night
25th CALDC Concert Series kicks off with fireworks.

More than 10,000 people found ample accommodation on the lawn at Astoria Park at Shore Boulevard between the Hell Gate Bridge and the Astoria Pool on Friday, June 29, starting at 7:30 p.m. After a beautiful red, white and blue water display courtesy of a fireboat from the New York City Fire Department the audience enjoyed an evening of the American Big Band sound from the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, followed by a spectacular Grucci fireworks display over the East River. Besides being the first local fireworks display of the 2007 Independence Day holiday this year, the Independence Day celebration marked the start of the 25th season of the Central Astoria Local Development Coalition "Music and magic on the waterfront" series, according to the CALDC program given out at the event.

The 25th Anniversary Waterfront Concert Series will continue every Thursday night from July 5 through August 9, with some of the bestknown artists in the business. The regular concert season begins on July 5 with the Platters. On subsequent Thursday evenings, the Elsbeary Hobbs Drifters, are featured on July 12; on July 19, the Cab Calloway Orchestra, directed by Calloway's grandson, Calloway Brooks; on July 26, Cornell Gunter's Coasters; on August 2, the Marvelettes, and concluding the series on August 9, the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Photo Dan Miller/DMD Images A Fire Department fireboat showed its colors before the Waterfront Concert Series Independence Day festivities started on June 29.

After a U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard presented the colors, Assemblymember Michael Gianaris, joined by 114th Police Precinct Commanding Officer Inspector Brian McCarthy, New York Power Authority Director of Public and Governmental Affairs Joe Leary and Julian Wager, CALDC president and Master of Ceremonies, led the crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. CALDC and NYPA were cosponsors of the Independence Day Celebration; NYPA has supported the Waterfront Concert Series consistently through the 25 years of the series' existence. Also introduced during the course of the evening were City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., Phil Sporaccio of the city Department of Parks and Recreation and Marie Torniali, CALDC executive director, widely recognized as the moving force behind the Independence Day celebration and the entire concert series.

(L. to r.): City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., Phil Sporaccio, city Department of Parks and Recreation, Marie Torniali, CALDC executive director, and Joe Leary of the New York Power Authority surround (seated) Julian Wager before the Waterfront Concert Series Independence Day event begins. The Marine Corps Honor Guard presents the colors. Assemblymember Michael Gianaris (with microphone) speaks to the crowd in attendance. He is joined by 114th Police Precinct Commanding Officer Inspector Brian McCarthy, CALDC President Julian Wager and Joseph Leary of the New York Power Authority. The Tommy Dorsey orchestra, led by Buddy Morrow, took the stage to provide an evening of big band music.