Fallout continues after Fourth concerts move

Crowding concerns in recent years informed Committee’s decision to move series from Independence Park

By Christy Nadalin
Posted 1/30/25

Citing security, safety, emergency access, and accommodations for large crowds, Fourth of July Committee Chairman Camille Teixeira announced via a Facebook post on the morning of Friday, Jan. 24, …

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Fallout continues after Fourth concerts move

Crowding concerns in recent years informed Committee’s decision to move series from Independence Park

Posted

Citing security, safety, emergency access, and accommodations for large crowds, Fourth of July Committee Chairman Camille Teixeira announced via a Facebook post on the morning of Friday, Jan. 24, that the town’s annual Fourth of July concert series will be relocating to Roger Williams University, effective this year.

The venue, which the University is providing to the town at no cost, includes ample, accessible parking, and accommodations for people with disabilities.

RWU was the site of the concert series in 2021, when COVID restrictions mandated more space. Though there were some concerns with that location, the upper field the Committee intends to use moving forward is more accessible to vendors.

“We understand that this will be a change, but we are confident that the new layout will provide a better flow and improved logistics compared to our previous time at Roger Williams University,” Teixeira wrote in her post.

An unpopular decision

Backlash was swift and fierce, with Facebook followers of both the Committee and the Around Town Bristol page criticizing the decision, questioning the Committee’s motives, and threatening to boycott the event.

Though concerns about the capacity of the Independence Park venue have been on the minds of both event planners and public safety for some time, last year’s event may have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, as crowds on at least two of those nights exceeded the footprint of the space.

According to a statement by Police Chief Kevin Lynch, Captain Stephen St. Pierre compiled a report, with input from supervisors, officers and executive staff, following last summer’s series. The report highlighted several areas of concern.

• Attendance at the concert series far exceeded the footprint designated within Independence Park to include the concrete bollards installed to protect against a vehicle-borne threat.

• On July 2, 2024, the Quick Hits/David Clark's All-About Joel concert created a traffic safety emergency, and officers had to shut down traffic on Thames Street due to pedestrian traffic consuming the roadway, walkways and concert footprint. Notably, vehicle egress was limited to include the ability to get emergency vehicles to the site. The police department deployed bike and motorcycle patrols to address their mobility but road blockage for vehicle traffic carried over to Hope Street and adjoining finger streets.

• Vendor areas were saturated with concert goers and there wasn't a safe passage or access to solicit the food trucks.

• Patrons approached the police to complain about overcrowding and informed officers that they were leaving the venue due to safety issues.

• A child’s face was injured from the crowd congestion.

• Handicapped parking was inaccessible, with handicapped patrons leaving and venting their frustrations to police officers on-site.

A presentation and a vote

Lynch, St. Pierre, and Deputy Chief Scott McNally attended the Fourth of July Committee meeting of Nov. 19 to present their concerns. “During the discussion we highlighted complexities with hosting the concert series at Independence Park that we documented in our confidential (internal/public safety) after action report,” said Lynch’s statement. Lynch, McNally, and St. Pierre then left the Committee to their deliberations.

The Committee’s meeting notes assert they held a “very long, informative and sometimes intense conversation regarding the location of the concert series.” At the conclusion of the conversation, a motion to move the series passed with 32 votes in favor and 9 abstentions.

A matter of budget?

Lynch was interviewed on Monday, Jan. 27, by Matt Allen on WPRO, during which he implied that additional funding could allow the series to remain at Independence Park — but it would be a steep price. For a series that, according to a letter to the editor from concert sub-committee chair Patti Nenna operates at a loss, that would likely be out of reach for the Committee. “We would need funding for copious amounts of personnel,” said Lynch. “The park is wide open, you can’t turn people away after capacity is reached.”

According to Lynch’s written statement, he would seek an additional $17-19K in the FY26 budget to address the public safety concerns of hosting the series at Independence Park (though that doesn’t change anything for the long-set 2025 budget.)

A petition promulgated by Save Bristol 4th, a coalition of Bristol residents urging the Committee to reconsider had more than 1,400 signatures at press time.

Though there were several suggestions in the online community about the feasibility of putting together a fundraising effort to close the security/funding gap for 2025, at press time it does not appear that one has yet been launched, though the Committee has received a few hundred dollars in individual donations toward the effort in the past couple of days.

Safety remains the priority

“We truly value the historic traditions that Bristol is widely known for, and cherish the relationship we have fostered for years with our community-based platforms and vast support and appreciation of our business community,” said Lynch in his statement. “I respect and humbly understand the disappoint echoed by many in social media. Moreover, I would simply be negligent in my duties if I didn't highlight these concerns to final decision makers to keep you and your families safe.”

“I place a high value on the safety of the residents of this town and the people who come to that event,” he said to Allen. “We are here and prepared to provide appropriate planning for any venue.”

Like Lynch, Steve Contente, Town Administrator and the Chief Marshal of Bristol’s 238th Fourth of July Celebration, puts safety first. “Similar to the move from the front of Colt School, the Fourth of July concert series has outgrown the Independence Park location,” he said. “The fields at Roger Williams University overlooking Mt Hope Bay provide the space needed to continue to deliver a high quality experience.” 

“I support the volunteers of the Bristol Fourth of July Committee that have  made this difficult decision, and appreciate that they dedicate countless hours to preserve the Nation’s oldest continuous Independence Day Celebration.”

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