h/t rossination

It’s becoming a trend: fireworks on July 4th have become a luxury for more and more communities. In these tight economic times, with essential city services being cut, the cost of the fireworks, security, cleanup, etc. has caused cities all over to rethink their July 4th plans. Vineland NJ cancelled the July 4th symphony performance prior to the fireworks, but many other cities are cutting the fireworks themselves.

It’s not just government-sponsored displays that are ending, either. The Manistee MI Chamber of Commerce has said they can no longer afford to sponsor their local fireworks — though if someone else puts up the money, they’ll work to make it happen.

But then there is the story of the Fourth of Jul-Ivars in Seattle. Back in the 1960s, Ivar’s Seafood Restaurants stepped in to preserve what was then the only fireworks display in the Seattle area. Today, with dozens of other area fireworks shows, Ivar’s canceled its fireworks plans and instead made this announcement [pdf]:

 “With so many fireworks displays in the Puget Sound, it made more sense for us to put our resources into other areas that really need help: Feeding the hungry,” Donegan said.

Through its partnership with Northwest Harvest, a statewide hunger relief agency since 1967, Ivar’s will focus more of its efforts on feeding families in the communities it serves. In a typical month, the Northwest Harvest network provides 600,000 client services to Washington State’s most vulnerable people. More than half of those served by Northwest Harvest are children and the elderly; others include those with limited incomes and households facing medical or other emergencies. Northwest Harvest reports that the economic downturn has increased the number of families asking for food by 19 percent since this time last year. In addition, a record breaking number of clients have been visiting its Cherry Street Food Bank in Seattle since last fall, with well over 2,400 clients per day on the busiest days.

“The problem of hunger in the Puget Sound has grown dramatically and we are pleased to expand our efforts with Northwest Harvest, focusing on those who need it most,” Donegan expressed. “Ivar’s will continue its many other community involvement efforts that have supported hundreds of causes throughout Puget Sound.”

I know a fair number of local government officials and local businesspeople. All of them enjoy the spectacle of the 4th of July, and celebrating our nation’s heritage. But when city services are being cut right and left, when businesses are struggling just to stay afloat, and when ordinary people are struggling to put food on the table, lots of hard decisions have to be made. In more and more places, that means no fireworks. 

Some cities (maybe yours) are holding off on making a decision, hoping that funds will appear — but look for more stories like this in the month ahead.