The skies above Beach 116th Street exploded with light and color on Saturday, June 21, as Council Member Joann Ariola hosted a triumphant celebration marking the grand reopening of the beloved beachfront. Hundreds gathered along the packed and newly reopened boardwalk to enjoy a festive concert by the Roadkill Country Outlaws and a dazzling fireworks show staged by Grucci.
“The people of Rockaway have waited a long time for the beach to re-open on Beach 116th Street, and I am proud to say that this year it is finally happening,” said Council Member Ariola. “What better way to celebrate the occasion than with a good old-fashioned fireworks show!”
Attendees included local merchants, families, longtime residents, and even a few political figures, all drawn together by the sights, sounds, and salt air. Grucci’s pyrotechnics lit up the Atlantic from a barge just offshore, drawing gasps from the crowd. Among those watching the night sky was former 100th Precinct commanding officer Carlos Fabara, off duty and enjoying the moment alongside Ariola and her Chief of Staff, Phyllis Inserillo.
In the crowd was mayoral candidate and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, who was quick to share both fond memories and firm resolve. “The first fireworks in the city I ever saw were right here in Rockaway — 1959, I was five years old,” he recalled, his voice filled with nostalgia. “Every Wednesday night they had them, sponsored by Rheingold Beer. The smell of salt water, the clean beach, the boardwalk — families with lawn chairs. It was my first fireworks, and in my mind, still the best.”
Sliwa emphasized that Beach 116 is the gateway to the Rockaways — the first impression for anyone arriving via the shuttle train. “It is your best exposure to Rockaway,” Sliwa added.
The night served as both a celebration and a call to action — a vibrant reminder of what the Rockaways have been and a hopeful vision of what they still can become. With civic leadership, community commitment, and a little bit of fireworks magic, Beach 116 may yet sparkle again.
