Honest Review of Fourth of July Weekend at Coachman Park in Clearwater, FL – Great Vibes, But Serious Room for Improvement
As I started my trek to Coachman Park on July 3rd, the sun was beating down on the sidewalk. It was 5 PM—the hottest part of the day—and a light rain began to fall. I figured it wouldn’t last long. Once I found a good spot in the park, I sat down and watched everyone coming and going.
It was a great atmosphere. Families were laughing and interacting, people were walking their dogs, and crowds moved between vendors and carnival games. I stayed until around 10 PM when the laser show ended. I was thoroughly impressed with the whole evening. I knew they were saving the big fireworks for the actual Fourth, so I headed home happy.
On my walk back, though, I started noticing piles of water bottles, Gatorade bottles, beer bottles, and cans scattered everywhere. It was disheartening to see such a beautiful park trashed like that. The park did an excellent job placing trash cans every 200 feet or so, yet many people couldn’t be bothered to use them.
The next day, July 4th, I woke up around 3 PM (after sleeping in). I packed smarter this time after learning from the night before: a thick blanket, a large water jug, and my camping bug zapper. Bugs had been harassing people on the 3rd, so I came prepared.
My dog and I arrived at the park around 5:30 PM and claimed a nice spot on the hill overlooking Clearwater Sound. We enjoyed the talent show inside the park and the music coming from the amphitheater behind us, along with other events, games, and small rides.
Kids dragged their parents around to enjoy the festivities for America’s 250th birthday. I was especially excited for the fireworks—this was my first year in five living in Clearwater that I was off work and able to catch a big display. After reading reviews and articles, I chose Coachman Park because it was supposed to have the largest show in the Bay area.
The talent show ended as the sun started to set. TL Jentgens gave a fantastic performance, getting the crowd to sing along to classics like “Sweet Caroline.” The hill filled up quickly as people claimed their spots. In the distance, we could see small fireworks going off over Clearwater Beach from private parties.
By 9 PM, the crowd was packed in tight—people were just inches from my blanket. The couple behind me kept inching closer after noticing my bug zapper (which created a solid no-bug zone within about 20 feet). As the first warning shot went off, people rushed back to their spots.
Right as the fireworks began, a loud buzzing drone started circling the park, followed by a low-flying propeller plane. It was distracting and aggravating for my tinnitus. My dog loved watching the fireworks at first, but soon went back to people-watching.
The show itself was only about 15 minutes long. Afterward, they played the National Anthem softly. Half the crowd immediately started packing up and talking, completely ignoring it. I’m not particularly patriotic (I don’t even own an American flag), but I still stood respectfully. It disappointed me that so many people didn’t.
After the anthem, the silent disco started up again. The event was listed as running until 11 PM, so I stayed and played with my dog as the crowd thinned out. The positive vibes from those who remained were nice.
While people-watching and playing with my dog, I noticed a guy suddenly run to a bush and clamber into the weeds. Moments later, a woman with her camera and flashlight sprinted toward him. Their argument erupted—he claimed he was just using the bathroom because he had to go and the facilities were locked. She said she had the whole thing on video. He tried to snatch her phone, but her friends showed up. He eventually walked away still defending himself.
Around 10:15 PM, a security guard approached me and aggressively told me the park was closing. I was confused since the event was supposed to go until 11, but everyone else started leaving, so I packed up my blanket, chair, and dog toys.
On the walk back to my car, the trash situation was even worse—bottles, cans, and plates everywhere. It was a huge letdown. The park and organizers had placed plenty of trash cans, but many people left the place looking like a disaster zone.
The walk downtown was smooth thanks to police directing traffic well for pedestrians. However, many businesses looked like a regular weekday night and were already closing by 11 PM. Not as lively as I expected for a Saturday on Fourth of July weekend.
Back home, I checked social media and saw friends’ posts from Tampa, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, and Lakeland. Their fireworks shows were noticeably bigger, longer, and better synchronized with music. Clearwater’s was professional quality but felt mid-tier by comparison.
Overall Scores (out of 5 Body Thetans):
Crowd Reactions/Energy: 3/5 (Great during the talent show and family time, but the lack of respect during the National Anthem was disappointing)
Walkabout/Activities: 5/5 (Lots to do while waiting and its wheelchair-friendly paths, vendors, games, and rides made it easy and fun)
**Cleanliness: 2/5 (**The bush incident plus trash everywhere showed poor planning or follow-through. A simple 5 person team to walk the grounds and pick up trash would have triggered more people to pick up their trash. Also who locks bathrooms before the event is over?)
Fireworks Show: 3/5 (Solid but short, not very creative, and smaller than shows in Tampa and St. Pete)
Total: 13/20 Body Thetans (The city *cough church of scientology cough* could really look at the issues and see what can be done for next year. The bathroom issue was of some concern. The lack of trash collection during the event is a serious oversight.)
If you live nearby, it’s still worth going for the atmosphere, music, and family-friendly vibe—especially if you just want a relaxed local celebration. But the short fireworks, early closing, trash issues, and other incidents left me wanting more. I won't be back next year and look forwards to the shows elsewhere.