Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg is located in the small town I get to call my home: Webster, Massachusetts.
Fourth of July weekend may just be any old holiday weekend for some, but for those living on this lake, it is four days filled with festivities.
Every year, the town's Memorial Beach puts on an incredible firework display. The event is open to the public to eat great food, enjoy each other's company and watch the fireworks display once the sun goes down. The display is filled with a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, and if you are coming to see them for the first time, you will most likely hear someone shout "best yet!" once the grand finale is over. But for those who have the luxury of living on the lake or knowing someone who does, their fireworks experience may be a little different.
Although you can not see the display from all spots on the lake, a boat can take you where you need to be. Boats begin floating into the pond where Memorial Beach is located before the sun sets to get a "good seat" for the show. Once the sun goes down, it seems as if you are floating among thousands of stars the way that each set of boat lights shines on the water in the darkness. Once the show starts you feel as though you are right beneath the fireworks, a sight like no other.
Once the display is finished, the thousands of still stars glowing on the water begin to clear out, but just because the Memorial Beach display is over doesn't mean you won't see a variety of fireworks set off throughout the rest of the weekend. Houses from all over the lake shoot off fireworks at their leisure, giving their neighbors and those around them another show.
Cookouts are a must when living on the lake, especially around the Fourth of July. Friends and family come together to eat, drink, and celebrate, whether it's with Surf and Turf, or classic cheeseburgers. Personally, my family starts off the weekend with typical cookout food, hot dogs and burgers but, when the day of the Fourth comes around, we celebrate with steamed clams and quahog chowder.
Over the course of the weekend, you are bound to see a friend passing by on a boat or jetski sharing a friendly wave.
But if you are a true Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaug resident, you'll know that getting a friendly wave or "hello!" from someone you may not know passing by; it's just lake courtesy. It's also not a surprise if you hear "God Bless the U.S.A." coming from a boat driving by throughout the holiday weekend. But what you should really keep an eye out for is the massive Indian Princess floating along the lake giving tours and tooting its horn as it passes by.
These are just a few things you will experience while celebrating the Fourth on Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaug. On any normal day of the summer, a visit to the lake will fulfill many of these explanations. So, if you are ever in the area or want to plan a day trip, think to visit Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagiggchaubunagungamaug and see for yourself how truly beautiful the lake is along with the genuine people living on it. Oh, and you will definitely want to learn how to say the name while you're here!
