Fireworks Continue, Funds Needed
Organizers with Petoskey’s Fourth of July asked the question, and the public responded in a big way; they want their fireworks. So, the committee has announced that they will continue the fireworks tradition for Petoskey’s Fourth of July celebration in 2023.
“We had 785 responses to a survey we recently distributed and 70% of the respondents said they wanted to see the fireworks continue,” said Carlin Smith, Co-Chair of Petoskey’s Fourth of July. He said the committee was looking at alternatives to a firework show for a number of reasons. “Cost is the big factor, plus there are people and pets who dislike the noise,” Smith noted. He said the fireworks also create a tremendous amount of pollution which requires a lot of volunteers to clean up the following day. “And we have to close off the bike path for several hours on the Fourth of July to set up a safety perimeter during the setup of the show, which is a significant disruption,” Smith added.
The committee was considering alternative activities to celebrate the holiday including a drone show or an expanded waterfront concert lineup. “With Bay Harbor presenting a great show on July 3rd , and Harbor Springs on the 4th , we thought maybe we could provide a different option,” Smith said. “While some survey respondents were supportive of something different, a strong majority said they want the firework tradition to continue,” he noted.
Now the volunteers will begin the job of raising funds for Petoskey’s Fourth of July. Smith says they will need to raise at least $30,000 to pay for fireworks, liability insurance, entertainment and to cover other expenses. “It’s a struggle every year to raise the funds we need,” Smith said. “With rising costs, we really should be spending more on fireworks, but this seems to be the limit on what we can raise based on past experience,” he added. Smith pointed out that while 70% of survey respondents wanted the fireworks to continue, only 16% said they would be willing to make a contribution to help pay for them.
Another challenge organizers face is the recruitment of volunteers. They need people to serve as security around the safety perimeter of the fireworks set up area, people to assist with parade lineup, entertainment lineup, and clean up the following day. Smith says the Fourth of July is a tough time to recruit volunteers because people want to be having fun with their families.
Petoskey’s Fourth of July is now coordinated by the Sunrise Rotary Club of Petoskey with representatives from multiple service clubs on the planning committee. Co-Chairs Andy Hayes, Brian Wagner, and Carlin Smith from Sunrise Rotary agreed to take over the event in 2021. “From the moment we took over responsibility for the Fourth, we wanted it to be a celebration for the community by the community,” Hayes said. While Sunrise Rotary serves as the fiduciary for the event, the committee includes representatives from Noon Rotary, Kiwanis, and Thrive 45°. Hayes notes that they also receive outstanding in-kind support from the City of Petoskey.
Hayes says the committee hopes the community will step up in a big way in 2023. “They’ve told us what they want, now we hope they’ll join in to help us make it happen,” he said. The volunteer schedule has not yet been established, but Smith says the financial contribution link is open. Those interested in a sponsorship can reach out to organizers here as well.