Pier Reopening Ceremony?

As the time for the pier reopening nears, it occurs to me that they're going to want to have some sort of ceremony. To have a ceremony, it would seem that they would have to allow people on the pier, but not to fish, even though the pier would be completely ready for fishing.

Given the choice, who would prefer to have a ceremony and who would prefer to just open up the pier with no formalities? I'd prefer the latter! No speeches, no hoopla, just a return to fishing.

Or do you think that some people there to fish with their pier carts in hand will gather early on that first morning near the pier office to hear some sort of official declaration of the pier opening, while everyone else is already hooking fish and bringing them over the slanted rail?

Have the opening ceremony on TV I'm ready to fish and hear how everyone made it thru these times. IMHO.

No ceremony required unless, of course, the venerable Mr Haywire is to speak before cutting the ribbon. This will insure a brief, but entertaining delay of the rush to wet a bunch of hooks.

Let the pier open to fishermen, have the official opening a few weeks later after the pier is fully completed. Otherwise, I'd expect larger than normal crowds to be there too.

When they had the original opening in 2009 and the Governor cut the ribbon the Pier had been open for fishing for a week already.

In July 2009, the 'soft' opening was on a Monday (20th) at noon.
It looked like this waiting to get on...
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...11&oe=5F5B1AE7

It was announced 'publicly' in the Mobile Register the next day...
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...e5&oe=5F5C8A5F

BTW, practically everyone was snobbling cigs on the 'octi' that whole week...
https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...e8&oe=5F5DC134


The 'official' ribbon cutting ceremony took place that Thursday (July 23), commencing at 9 am. (Less than 72 hours after the initial 'soft opening')
It was a 'big to-do' with all kinds of speeches and guest appearances. I was just glad to be there fishing, which people were able to do while the 'festivities' were going on. But I took a little time out to meet the Guv...https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...cb&oe=5F5E1B92

I stayed in Gulf Shores that week (Sunday thru Friday evening), and fished twice a day.
I have no idea what the park peoples have planned this time around.
But I believe one can safely assume there will be some sort of 'soft opening'.
Sure, I can't wait to be back out there fishing again, but I may just have to take a little time out to watch the ceremony...

I was there the day they cut the ribbon and they gave away all the nice rod and reel combo's to the people that probably never used them.

Let the politicians do a Zoom opening ceremony from Montgomery. Do they realize what flocks of angry unfed pelicans (starving from the closure) could do to their fancy suits?