NEWS

No show: Once again, Ocala/Marion County won't have a public fireworks display on July 4

Andy Fillmore
For the Star-Banner

This Fourth of July looks like another year without any officially sponsored fireworks displays open to the public in Marion County.

Locally, a check with government officials and social media has turned up no word of a sponsored firework display open to the public on or around Independence Day.

In the past, the Ocala Jaycees organized God & Country Day, a full-day July 4 festival that always ended with a massive firework display. But that tradition stopped after 2019, and attempts to reach parties involved with the festival were unsuccessful.

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Ashley Dobbs, City of Ocala marketing and communications manager, said the city does not have any firework displays planned for the Fourth of July. Ditto for Marion County government.

You won't see this in the Ocala sky on July 4.

Ashley Lopez, public information officer with Ocala Fire Rescue, said her agency had issued no fireworks permits as of June 28.

James Lucas, her counterpart at Marion County Fire Rescue, said his agency issued three permits: one for a residents only event on July 1 at a gated community in southwest Ocala; one for a private event in south Marion on the Fourth of July; and the third for a private event on July 7 at a youth camp.

Personnel at the City of Belleview and Dunnellon Chamber of Commerce both indicated no Fourth of July fireworks events were planned in their areas.

Eaton's Beach Sandbar & Grill will host a fireworks show for patrons of the Weirsdale restaurant. Details are on the Eaton's Beach Facebook page.

There are other ways to celebrate this holiday weekend

Even if the night sky will be blank on July 4, there are other ways to celebrate this holiday weekend.

The Levitt AMP Ocala Music Series wraps up on Friday with a patriotic salute.

Dobbs, from Ocala, noted that the Levitt AMP Ocala Music has its finale on Friday, July 1. It will include a special patriotic opening performance by the Ocala Symphony Orchestra. The event will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Complex, 1510 NW Fourth St., Ocala. 

"This is a great way to kick off your holiday weekend," Dobbs wrote in an email.

Also:

  • The Ocala Symphony will play standards, film scores and a special salute to the troops at 3 p.m. July 3 at the Reilly Arts Center, 500 NE Ninth St., Ocala. For ticket information and details, visit www.reillyartscenter.com or call 352-351-1606.
  • Temple Beth Shalom presents a patriotic concert by the Stone Creek Glee Club at the Ocala Tree of Life Sanctuary, 8075 SW 63rd St., Ocala, at 4 p.m. July 3. Free and open to the public; all are welcome, especially veterans. For more information, call 352-629-3587.
  • If you don't mind driving to Gainesville, the annual Fanfares & Fireworks, including – as the name suggests – a big fireworks display will be held July 3 at the University of Florida Bandshell, Flavet Field, 605 Woodlawn Drive, Gainesville. Picnic on the grass and enjoy live music and fireworks. Free and open to the public; no dogs, drones, sparklers or alcohol allowed. For additional details, visit www.wuft.org/fireworks.

Ocala won't be the only community with blank skies

Marion County's lack of public fireworks appears to be a result of having no sponsor or organizing entity. Other communities are losing fireworks shows for different reasons.

Marion County has fireworks on Mother's Day, courtesy of FAFO's annual Symphony Under the Stars event at the Ocala Golf Club. But no big public fireworks shows are scheduled for Independence Day.

Published reports about firework show cancellations nationwide since 2020 cite reasons including the pandemic and dry conditions. An Associated Press report published June 27 details factors including “supply chain issues."

James Kyne of KYNEX,INC., puts on firework shows in North Florida and South Georgia. He attributed the cancellation of firework shows this year to a shortage of fireworks, drivers and technicians.

"Obviously, July 2020 there were fewer shows because the cities canceled them, but the last two years the fewer displays has nothing to do with budgets or the cities. Display companies are canceling their displays because there has been a nationwide fireworks shortage, there is a labor shortage, Pyro technician shortage, and recently an increase in difficulty in getting CDLs because of a new law," Kyne wrote, in part, in an email.

"I had (three shows) on Sunday because an out of state company seems to have canceled all or most of their shows in Florida. We have been lucky and haven’t had to cancel any ourselves. While we had to work hard to get product, and in some cases pay much much more, our big issue is manpower. It is difficult finding people to work for any amount of pay," he wrote.

"This year specifically the shortage is because most of our product comes from China, and they shipped the containers a few weeks too late, so a lot of product is being delivered after July 4th," hurting some firework companies, Kyne stated.

“As far as budget, we have seen about a 50% increase in the price of fireworks since COVID. Most of this is because freight costs per container have increased by an order of magnitude. Most of my shows have increased their budgets to compensate for that,” Kyne wrote.

Kyne stated a typical professional firework show in North Florida costs $1,000 per minute.

If you buy your own fireworks, be careful

Anyone trying fireworks at home should note the Consumer Protection Safety Commission's safety tips, including:

  • Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers.
  • Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of a fire or other mishap.
  • Light fireworks one at a time, then move quickly away from the fireworks device.

The full list can be read at: https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Fireworks

Marion County Animal Services Director Jim Sweet reminded the public of the effect of fireworks on pets.

"Frightened pets fleeing the sudden, bright lights and loud noises from fireworks may become disoriented once they get far enough away to settle down, " he stated.

"Marion County Animal Services offers microchips for $15 to make it easier to reunite owners with their lost pets. We’ve had so many successful reunification stories because of microchips that we’ve made it a standard part of the adoption package," Sweet stated.

Star-Banner correspondent Angela Durrell contributed to this report