July 4 fireworks are tentatively set for launch in Longmont this year.
The city has given a conditional approval to hold the fireworks at the Fire Training Center, 111 First Ave., and is “working on finalizing a traffic plan, as we will close several streets in order to discourage social gathering and maintain the appropriate ‘fall out zone,’” Longmont Public Information Officer Rigo Leal stated in an Tuesday night email. “There will be no gathering opportunities and people will be encouraged to watch from their homes.”
The city has not yet consulted with Boulder County Public Health on the conditional plan, Leal stated. ”We remain optimistic, but there are a number of pieces that still need to come together for this to be a go and still ensure we are protecting our community.”
If the fireworks show is a go, it will start at 9:30 p.m., according to a post on the city website.
The fireworks display, traditionally held at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, has been in flux as events have been cancelled throughout the region in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Among the happenings off the table this year are the Boulder County Fair, which was cancelled last week.
“Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation and its impact on community health, Boulder County is unable to host the Fair in a safe environment for all of our fairgoers to enjoy,” organizers stated in a Facebook post last week.
The fair will continue virtually and could possibly have some 4-H and Future Farmers of America youth livestock modified events on the fairgrounds, according to the post. But entertainment activities will be moved to July 30 through Aug. 8, 2021.
Other summer events also are off the table.
Visit Longmont, which each year is contracted to provide leisure and travel services for the city, administers an annual $25,000 tourism grant program. Businesses and organizations that receive the grants can use the funding for marketing of their events. This year the money was distributed in eight grants, with six of the events falling right in the middle of summer, Visit Longmont Executive Director Nancy Rezac said last week. Of those six, three have already announced their cancellations: Pressed Fest, presented by the Colorado Cider Guild; Jazz Fest, presented by the Longmont Jazz Association; and Rocky Mountain Dock Dogs at the Boulder County Fair.
Rezac said she is still waiting to hear if Wibby Brewing’s Hooplagers festival and Bicycle Longmont’s Radler Ride will cancel or reschedule, and the fate of Oktoberfest also is unknown right now.
The Strings and Stories music series anticipates moving forward with their event later this summer, Rezac said.
One event, Winter Folk, was held in February and generated an estimated $800,000 in economic impact, she said.
When the anticipated attendance and hotel room occupancy numbers provided by 2020 grant recipients was calculated using Visit Longmont’s multiplier, their economic impact would have totaled $3.8 million, Rezac said. In 2019, the economic impact from seven grant-recipient events was $2 million.
