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Foggy Fourth: San Francisco celebrates historic fireworks launch from Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco’s historic Fourth of July fireworks from the Golden Gate Bridge were largely obscured by fog, leaving some disappointed while others embraced the city’s signature experience.
SAN FRANCISCO - Thousands lined the San Francisco waterfront for a historic Fourth of July celebration featuring the first-ever Independence Day fireworks launched from the Golden Gate Bridge, and only the third fireworks display in the bridge’s history.
But the fog rolled in so thick that most of the show never burst through, leaving many spectators disappointed after waiting for hours.
From the ground, it was mostly bright flashes and partial views of the lower bursts of fireworks.
Fog obscures historic display
San Francisco’s famous fog rolled in by the afternoon, blanketing the Golden Gate Bridge and surrounding waterfront areas just as crowds settled in for the milestone show.
Despite the limited visibility, many said they still valued being part of the historic moment.
"We’ve been coming here for years, on and off, and we just like the atmosphere. We like the people, we like everything about this place. I mean you can still feel the fireworks in your chest, right," said Alex Anderson of Modesto.
"You get to see a little bit of it, so every now and then you get a glimpse when the clouds or the fog move away. So hey, you’ve got to make the best of it," said Michelle Williams of Modesto.
However, some visitors said the experience fell short of expectations after waiting for hours along the waterfront.
"It was disappointing after waiting for hours," said one attendee.
Still, the waterfront remained packed throughout the evening as visitors braved wind, cold and fog for a uniquely San Francisco Fourth of July experience.
"I love the fog. We don’t see that over there," said Erika Galan, visiting from Nicaragua. "If it was clear today, we wouldn’t really be in San Francisco, right, from what I hear."
Businesses see holiday and tourist surge
Holiday crowds also packed Ghirardelli Square, where restaurants and shops saw steady traffic throughout the day.
At Palette Tea House, staff rolled out Fourth of July-themed specials, including red, white and blue-inspired dim sum and holiday cocktails to mark the occasion.
"Definitely a lot of energy, not just us but the whole square. It’s great that we’re at the waterfront, so locals as well as visitors are all coming here. We’ve been busy all day and the past days as well," said Dennis Leung, general manager of Palette Tea House.
Leung said demand surged heading into the holiday weekend, boosted by both Fourth of July visitors and international tourists in town for the World Cup.
"Lunch so far, we’ve seen 20% more, for dinner reservations we see almost twice as much as we normally get," said Leung.
The holiday weekend also coincided with an influx of international soccer fans traveling through the Bay Area, adding to the already busy waterfront crowds.
Many visitors said the combination of the World Cup atmosphere and Fourth of July celebrations made for a uniquely packed San Francisco weekend.
The Golden Gate Bridge was closed to traffic from 9 to 10 p.m. for the fireworks display, and once the show ended, traffic in and around the Marina Green area quickly turned into gridlock as thousands tried to leave at the same time.
The Source: Interviews with visitors, Palette Tea House, City of San Francisco information