Not long after cautioning that record levels on Lake Michigan were threatening continuation of the traditional Light Up the Lake celebration on the 3rd of July, the city has made it official. There will be no July Fireworks for 2020 in South Haven.
Record high water levels for Lake Michigan have prompted South Haven City officials, in consultation with community leaders, to cancel this year’s fireworks show for Independence Day.
Traditionally held each year on July 3rd, the fireworks display off South Haven’s North Pier annually draws thousands of residents and visitors. Planning for the event begins months in advance and requires coordination between the city, Van Buren County, South Haven/Van Buren County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Michigan State Police, Pokagan Tribal Police and other emergency-rescue personnel from neighboring communities.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has recorded all-time records for water levels in January and February of this year. The agency is predicting those levels to rise eight to 10 inches higher by July. Higher than normal lake levels will be seen throughout the summer, creating higher wave action and effectively submerging the pier – and making it unsafe for the pyrotechnics experts to stage the show.
South Haven City Manager Brian Dissette says, “Fireworks are an event South Haven residents and visitors alike have enjoyed over the years, so it is disappointing to reach this decision,” adding, “The safety of those staging the show, along with those watching, is our primary concern. With Lake Michigan at record levels, we all agreed it would be unsafe to try and host the fireworks off the North Pier, which is really the only place where we could safely launch them and be far enough away from residential neighborhoods.”
Dissette continues, “There is a great deal of logistical complexity that goes into July 3 fireworks, which takes months of planning and coordination to execute. We felt it was important to communicate this decision now so that we didn’t invest time and money into planning an event we won’t be able to host safely.”
Dissette noted the City has been talking with the South Haven Visitors Bureau about expanding its popular New Year’s Eve celebration by adding fireworks. This year’s city-wide event featured ice skating downtown, a youth celebration at the South Haven Center for the Arts and a party in downtown, complete with music, dancing, street performers, a bonfire, laser lights and the fun beachball drop at midnight.
Scott Reinert is Executive Director of the South Haven/Van Buren County Convention & Visitors Bureau. He says, “We are considering shifting some of these activities closer to Riverfront Park and adding a fireworks display,” and suggests, “This would be a wonderful way to put an exclamation point on the year just wrapping up – and welcoming the new year.”
Reinert concludes, “While July fireworks are out this year, there are still plenty of reasons to visit South Haven this summer,” adding, “We have great beaches for people to enjoy, a new splash pad coming online for summer and loads of great restaurants, shops, wonderful cultural attractions and fun outdoor adventures, including our land and water-based trails.”
