Thousands brave cold for inaugural Fire Festival

Chicago demonstrates resiliency as fire effects fail to conflagrate

(Above) A structure on a floating platform east of Michigan Avenue burns Saturday night during the Great Chicago Fire Festival’s Grand Spectacle. 401 North Michigan Avenue in background. (Click on images to view larger versions.)

5-Oct-14 – It did not go perfectly but Redmoon Theater says 30,000 people braved the season’s first cold evening on Saturday to watch the first Great Chicago Fire Festival “Grand Spectacle” on the Chicago River.

Three structures on floating platforms, representing Chicago’s pre-1871 architecture, were set on fire but only one was the inferno it was supposed to be.

Said the theater company in a statement, “After an electrical issue with the ignition system caused by recent heavy rains delayed the main fire effect, and several unsuccessful attempts at manual ignition, Redmoon and the operational team moved on to a spectacular fireworks finale.”

There were no incidents as 15 “fire cauldrons” were lowered from the bridges at State Street, Wabash Avenue, Michigan Avenue, and Columbus Drive to start the spectacle. The cauldrons were lowered with the help of local high school students, community leaders, and city officials, including 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly.

(Above) Fireworks shoot from the platform toward the end of the Grand Spectacle.

Early Friday morning, the platform east of Wabash Avenue lost its grip on the riverbed and floated freely on the Chicago River. A Shoreline Sightseeing vessel helped secure the platform until a tugboat could push it back to the south bank of the river.