LIMERICK PA – The skies above Waltz’s Golf Farm, 303 W. Ridge Pike, were ablaze once again Tuesday night (July 4, 2023; Independence Day) with fireworks galore.
On the grounds below those same skies, a sea of people spread across several acres. They competed to get the perceived best seats possible for a view of the company’s annual show. Fact: there were no bad seats.
The night was wonderfully dark, enhanced by the owner’s decision to shut off most other lights around the facility. A quick flick of someone’s switch put the area into near-inky blackness, and the first boom began.
The free fireworks, open to the public, are a decades-old tradition of the firm’s founding family. A few of its members and their employees worked Tuesday to scoop out its well-known ice cream treats, handle chores at the miniature golf courses, and solve the occasional problem.
Among the crowds of people who filled Waltz’s driving range and nearby fields, many visitors agreed the night appeared to go flawlessly.
A few said Waltz’s fireworks have become as much a neighborhood affair as a family one. Several families who lived in houses on the same residential block drove into the site in separate vehicles. Then they met at a designated spot to lay blankets and set up folding chairs.
As its volunteers assisted with parking, the Limerick Fire Department accepted donations of any amount from the drivers. That, too, is a Waltz family tradition.
Fireworks were the primary, but not the only, attraction. Some guests made a beeline for the creamery stand, others for the miniature courses. Baseball athletes, or those who longed to be one of them, took their turns at the batting cages. This year’s selected band, Whiskey Grin, played rock beginning at 7 p.m., tempting a dancer or two.
There were light ropes, light necklaces, and light halos for sale to those interested. For those who came hungry, or developed a craving before the fireworks began, every food imaginable appeared to be available for sale.
Menus included barbecue, oven-fired pizza, steak sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, mini donuts, funnel cake, walk-around tacos, and other tasty fare.
The night’s fleetingly tense moments came as parking areas surrounding the Golf Farm began to empty after the fireworks ended. Drivers generally don’t like to wait, and patience was needed to exit.
Fire department firefighters, fire police, and other volunteers expertly had drivers position their vehicles to maximize space. For the most part, the experts unpacked the parking in the same thoughtful way. It just took time.
Photos and video by Travels With The Post
25 Photos, 3 Videos from Pottstown’s Big July 4 Parade