MORGAN HILL
The city’s most popular event might lose its crown jewel – a fireworks show – for the second year in a row. This year, it’s not the threatening weather forecast, but the threatening economic forecast. If Independence Day Inc., the nonprofit that puts on the well attended Fourth of July Parade and its myriad other events, can’t raise $17,500 funds by May 31, it’ll be another dark Fourth of July.
Last summer, the Fourth of July celebration’s grand finale was canceled because of weather concerns. June 2008 was fraught with wildfires in the area, and high winds compelled the fire marshal and the pyrotechnician in charge of the event to cancel the fireworks. Thousands of people in the event’s epicenter at Community Park and on lawns throughout Morgan Hill, stared into the sky for at least an hour waiting for the grand show to begin.
Following the cancellation, master pyrotechnician Jim Acker with Fireworks America, which puts on the annual display, promised “a bigger and brighter display than ever” for this year’s show.
But, that was before the global economic crisis hit. The first hint came in January, when the Morgan Hill City Council approved budget cuts that left Independence Day Inc. without its $11,000 seed money. The money, almost 10 percent of IDI’s $130,000 annual budget, went “wherever it was needed,” explained IDI volunteer Brigitte Heiser.
If it weren’t for the $4,000 refund from Fireworks America for last year’s cancellation, they wouldn’t have the down payment to reserve the company’s services this year, Heiser said, explaining that a full refund wasn’t possible since the fireworks can’t be saved for another year and must be destroyed.
The rest of the $17,500 is payable on the day of the event, but if donations look bleak at the end of May, IDI officials say they’ll have to be prudent and cancel the event.
The IDI board met Tuesday to discuss the fundraising outlook for this year’s Fourth of July events.
“It was a really heartbreaking meeting,” Heiser said.
On top of the city’s cutbacks, corporate sponsorship is looking bleak. For example, private school Carden Academy, which typically gives $1,500, won’t be giving this year, and IDI officials worry that other businesses will hold back on giving as well.
The Fourth of July Parade is one of the oldest of its kind in the nation, dating back to 1894, according to IDI’s Web site, mhidi.com. It is attended by about 40,000 people across California and even nationwide. Hundreds of volunteers spend months planning the three days’ worth of activities – but all that brawn is nothing without the bucks.
“We’re pretty barebones to begin with, so there’s no where to cut,” Heiser said.
But, IDI is upbeat and counting on the community to come through.
“This is within our grasp,” Heiser said. “If everybody sent in a few bucks, we would be fine. It’s not like we need a hundred dollars from everyone.”
“This is really a community event. It’s something that people have been taking their kids down to for years. It’s really up to the community whether or not they want to keep it going.”
Morgan Hill resident Russell Halliday said he’s brought his children to the event since moving here five years ago.
“We always look forward to it,” he said. “I would be very disappointed (if it were canceled) but I suspect I would understand. If there’s not the funds, then what more can you do?”
Halliday said he would be giving a donation for the event.
Mayor Steve Tate said since the economic outlook for the city is still bleak – they’ll be looking at making another $1.5 million to cut for next fiscal year in the coming weeks – he didn’t know when they’d be able to donate to IDI again. But, he said of the parade and the fireworks, it’s the parade that really counts.
“I hate losing one of them, but to me the parade is the higher priority,” Tate said, adding that whenever someone asks why Morgan Hill is so special, the first thing to point to is the Fourth of July Parade.
The fireworks display, along with the Patriotic Sing, does not generate any revenue towards the event. The parade, which features hundreds of participants from the region, July 3’s street dance and the 5K Freedom Run all generate some income for the events, Heiser said.
Although the city isn’t providing monetary support, they will still lend a hand with in-kind services, like police and other infrastructure.
