Cooper-Siegel Community Library debuts patriotic event

The fireworks weren’t the only draw this year for Fourth of July fun in Fox Chapel.

More than 100 guests gathered under clear skies on July 4 to celebrate and honor the nation’s 249th birthday at Cooper-Siegel Community Library.

An inaugural live reading of the Declaration of Independence kicked off an evening of picnics and fellowship and later, viewing a dramatic fireworks display presented by the Pittsburgh Field Club.

Courtesy of Cooper-Siegel

Participants presented a live reading of the Declaration of Independence during a public Fourth of July event held at Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel.

The reading was held in the Fritz Mitnick Welcome Garden and library organizers plan to make the program an annual event.

The live readers included a mix of area residents — Veena Agarwal, Nisreen-Al-Bataineh, Lou Curcio Jr., Finn Geisimino, Kaylie Glaze, Brian Kern, Kazz Kern, Steve Lackey, Zhexin (Kate) Lin, Nadine Ostrowski, Olivia Payne, Miguel Sague Jr., Jan Shaw, Naomi Weisberg Siegel, State Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-West View) and Gabriel Yassin.

“It was a wonderful event and I was honored to be the representative from Aspinwall,” said Aspinwall Councilman Lou Curcio Jr.

At dusk, two separate fireworks shows were hosted by the Fox Chapel Golf Club and the Pittsburgh Field Club.

Fox Chapel resident and Pittsburgh Field Club member Lauren Shepherd enjoyed the fireworks with her family.

“It was an incredible display that lasted over 46 minutes and was more spectacular than ever,” Shepherd said.

Courtesy of Lauren Shepherd

Lauren Shepherd of Fox Chapel gives her son Mason Shepherd a bird’s eye view of the Fourth of July fireworks at the Pittsburgh Field Club in Fox Chapel.