'Full Blast Fireworks' Likely Off in Rockville This Year

Finding a way to fire off Rockville’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display will depend on finding a new place to do it—and that’s where things get complicated, the city’s acting recreation and parks director told the City Council on Monday.

The city its celebration. City officials cited public safety concerns as from a powerful June 29 storm that left trees down and power out across the region.

“There are barriers” to rescheduling, said Christine Henry, acting director of recreation and parks. “We did try to take them into consideration at the time [of the cancellation].”

has paving and other projects that it must begin, and the school’s administration told the city that the planned site of the fireworks is no longer available for use, Henry said.

“We want to respect that because we want to be there in the future,” Henry said.

Council members on Monday vetted several alternatives, but appeared resigned to let the idea of an Independence Day-style display go until next year.

and the City of Gaithersburg’s display also were canceled last week. Fireworks in Poolesville and Takoma Park went on as scheduled.

Gaithersburg has rescheduled its fireworks for Friday. A City of Rockville spokeswoman said Thursday that But City Council members quickly pushed for the issue to be part of a discussion of storm impacts and the city’s response that was on the Council’s agenda.

The city is considering other sites, she said. Henry declined to name the potential sites, so as not to “make those neighborhoods nervous. They haven’t been completely vetted with police for traffic.”

It took 60 minutes for police to guide crowds from the campus following , Henry said.

A new date also would mean rescheduling for city staff to be on duty. It would take at least 14 days to arranging staffing, Henry said.

“We’re not ready for that staff-wise in a sense that we’re prepared for the traffic,” she said.

The city also would need to get a new permit from the state to fire off the fireworks. “We would have to work with our fire marshal to work on the firework safety zone—where we would put people to view the fireworks.”

For years, the city used in Town Center for its annual Independence Day celebration. It was relocated to the college when the high school underwent renovation, which was completed in 2007.

“It took a full year to get us where we are now and as comfortable as we are with Montgomery College,” Henry said. “There are a few other sites that we could do. They’re just not ideal." 

It was necessary to make the decision to cancel two days before the holiday so that the shells weren’t loaded on Tuesday, Henry said. Once loaded, they must be fired.

The city is working with Zambelli Fireworks to recoup some of the money spent on the fireworks. The city made a down payment, which it will not be able to recoup, Henry said. Some of the city staff scheduled to work the holiday also will be paid for it, per their contracts, she said.

As the summer turns the corner past the Fourth of July, city staff is now focused on other city events, further complicating issues, Henry said.

The is scheduled for July 21. The Uncorked Wine and Music Festival is scheduled for Aug. 25. (Coincidentally, the wine festival as approached).

Councilman Tom Moore asked if the city could “shoot twice as many firework next year?”

“Yes, but the budget allocation is this year,” Henry said.

“We can get around that,” Moore said.

The city also could consider adding fireworks to next year’s Hometown Holidays street festival. So-called cold spark fireworks, which are smaller, stay low to the ground and are used at ballparks and on concert stages, could be used at the festival, Henry said. The festival is part of the same fiscal 2013 budget as the Fourth of July celebration.

The cold spark fireworks could provide a compromise, Councilman Mark Pierzchala said.

“It was absolutely the correct decision not to do July Fourth fireworks,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like the full blast fireworks are going to work again until next July Fourth. But I do like the suggestion that perhaps on top of another already scheduled event that we could substitute something. It just seems like right now it’s the best thing we could do.”

Henry said city staff would consider the idea and present options at Monday’s Council meeting.