As the pandemic was hitting mid-stride under the state’s shelter-in-place orders, fireworks fans saw one major show after another pop up on the cancellation list. South Haven cancelled. St. Joe cancelled. Baroda cancelled. But, Niles held out, waiting to see what might be workable and even this Monday the City Council gave the green light to a Niles fireworks celebration event contingent on several key conditions being met. Hopes were high.
The fireworks sponsor, Niles Music and More, and City staff quickly began communicating with the partners and organizations whose support is necessary for that event. This would have been Niles Music and More’s first year as the sponsor of the Niles Fireworks following many years of sponsorship by the community’s Chamber of Commerce. Their commitment to a quality and safe event was readily evident from the moment they began planning for this year’s event.
The current Governor’s Executive Order, however, does not allow for gatherings in excess of 250 at an outdoor event. While there have been some indications that that restriction could be altered prior to the 4th of July holiday, as the days have progressed there has been no clear direction from Lansing leaving little time for proper preparations to be completed- compounded by the difficulty of securing commitments from vendors that could be called upon or cancelled at the last minute.
As a result, the community of Niles announced today, “We sincerely regret the loss of the 4th of July fireworks celebration for this year. We are exploring the possibility of a community celebration for later in the year.” It’s been that kind of year.
