Not since the early 1990s, and possibly even further back, have there been Rocky Point fireworks.

But Warwick has a mayor who wanted to throw a family-oriented New Year’s Eve party. That’s just what happened Friday, although Mayor Frank Picozzi, who tested positive for Covid-19 two days earlier couldn’t make the show.

Scheduled at 5 p.m. with fireworks at 6, the park was humming by 4:30 p.m. as music blasted and people lined up in front of a string of food trucks. Police handed out glow wands and bracelets for as long as they were available and kids were handed ribbons of raffle tickets to win snow tubes and sleds provided by BankNewport, one of several event sponsors. Temperatures were in the 40s and it was calm nigh. Mist and low cloud cover couldn’t dampen spirits. Kids joyfully threw glow sticks upward to create their own mini-fireworks as the skies darkened and 6 p.m. neared. Some revelers even had their own show. Jessica Kingston, who drives around town leaving a trail of bubbles, brought along her bubble machine. Kids of all ages loved it as they romped in and out of a steady stream.

Before the magical moment when at least a dozen rockets signaled the show, an estimated 600 cars filled the parking lot and police had to close the park entrance to vehicular traffic. That didn’t stop arrivals that parked on Palmer Avenue and walked it. It was a family crowd, just as Picozzi planned for.

(Text and photos by John Howell)