The beloved Fourth of July fireworks show, a Long Beach tradition for over ten years that has supported various charities, has been canceled citing “environmental concerns,” according to local officials.
As reported on Sunday, the California Coastal Commission turned down the initiative to maintain this cherished event.
“We’ve raised $2 million over the past 14 years for children’s programs here in Long Beach,” said organizer John Morris. He expressed frustration, noting that the community covers all costs, including a $20,000 fee to the city for police and fire services. “I’m okay with that because 100,000 people are out there enjoying the fireworks,” he added.
Morris pointed out, “They can have 40 nights in Mission Bay. All I’m asking for is 20 minutes. That doesn’t really add up,” referring to the SeaWorld fireworks display in San Diego.
According to reports, the committee suggested that future celebrations might need to shift to drone displays, but Morris raised concerns about the significant costs involved, estimating that it would require about 1,000 drones and around $200,000, compared to fireworks costing approximately $50,000.
Morris had aimed to put on a special show this year for America’s 250th anniversary and pointed out that his group conducts water tests before and after the displays to ensure safety for local wildlife and to check for debris.
“We’ve never encountered an issue. No reports have ever been filed. So, what does this really imply?” he questioned.
The office of Governor Gavin Newsom is looking into the cancellation of “The Big Bang on the Bay,” claiming, “This decision was not made by the governor. We’re investigating this for the residents of Long Beach.”
Commission spokesman Joshua Smith confirmed that Morris would be allowed to showcase the drone display. He also mentioned that SeaWorld had received approval for a 40-day fireworks event, but when questioned about the inconsistency, he noted that decisions are made on a case-by-case basis without further elaboration.
In a separate incident, in 2024, the commission previously rejected Elon Musk’s plan for SpaceX to launch satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base, citing disapproval of his political involvement as a reason.
