Over 1,500 red flares light up Onset Bay during Illumination Night

As the sun sets over Onset bay, that’s generally the cue for beachgoers that the day is over and it’s time to head home. But during illumination, Onset Beach and Bayview Park were packed with people waiting to see the bay shine bright in the night sky.

The Onset Bay Association’s annual Illumination Night brought in hundreds of people Saturday, Aug. 30 to see over 1,500 red road flares light up the beach.

“Oh it was beautiful,” said Denise Bresse of Middleboro. “They go down all the way to Shell Point and come all the way up. It’s really pretty.”

Joining Bresse was her husband Dave who said the event also serves as a way to honor old coastal rescue crews.

“There used to be rescue crews on longboats with oars and this is honoring the people that did that because it was very dangerous,” he said.

While waiting for the flares to be lit, attendees could listen to live music from the Southcoast Brass Band, get their face painted or have a swordfight with a variety of light-up plastic weapons.

Another Middleboro native Wayne Augustine said he spends a lot of time in Onset but this was his first Illumination Night.

“We love Onset, it’s always been a beautiful town with great people,” he said. “It’s a beautiful night, it’s the end of the summer so there’s no better way to spend it.”

While waiting for the flares to be lit, Augustine said he got some ice cream and a pizza at Marc Anthony’s.

“Can’t forget about Marc Anthony’s, it’s the best stuff around,” he said.

While waiting for her daughter to finish up at the face painting station, Wareham resident Emily Woletskas said she would choose to light the bay up in rainbow colors.

“I just think it would be cool looking,” she said.

This year’s event was not only a time for people to gather at night on the beach but to also honor Sandi Besse who founded Shell Point Real Estate and passed away recently.