SF Bay Area fireworks fall victim to tough economy

SFGate.com ^ | 7/2/11 | Carolyn Jones

[NormsRevenge]

The Fourth of July sky will be a little darker this year as lean economic times force cities across the Bay Area to snuff out a favorite all-American tradition: fireworks shows.

In past years, the East Bay shoreline was ablaze with exploding, booming, multicolored pyrotechnics on Independence Day. But this year only Berkeley and San Pablo will light up their waterfronts with fireworks.

The others are too far in the red for the red, white and blue. Livermore and Hercules dropped their fireworks and parades this year. Oakland and San Leandro canceled their fireworks a year or two ago. Other cities, such as Foster City, have either scaled down their shows or started charging visitors to see them.

"It's another chunk out of the pie of happiness," said Livermore Mayor Marshall Kamena. "Our Fourth of July party epitomized what 1776 was all about. And now there's just sadness."

A typical 20-minute fireworks show costs between $15,000 and $20,000, but some, such as San Francisco's, can top $100,000, said Jeff Thomas, producer for Pyro Spectaculars by Souza, which puts on 90 percent of the Bay Area's fireworks displays. Staff costs can add at least another $30,000.

"It's hard to justify fireworks when you're laying off 100 people," said Oakland spokeswoman Karen Boyd. "The police OT, the cost of the fireworks - it adds up."

[NormsRevenge]

reminds me of the old song 'Where did all the flowers go?'

Where did all the fireworks go?

Gone with the jobs gone everywhere.

When will we ever learn?

When will we ever learn?

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It's still around, btw. The dogs have done well so far,, but the 4th is when the big stuff goes off around here.. 'til then you can ooo and aaah at it in HD on the news.

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the irony is the greens would prefer no fireworks so for them , it's a victory,, pyrhhic to say the least imo, but..

[NormsRevenge]

Ya got to go to Tahoe .. not since 1993..

Tahoe skiing, fireworks for 1st time in 18 years

Natalie Orenstein, Chronicle Staff Writer

Saturday, July 2, 2011

This Fourth of July, Jim Feutz is celebrating on the slopes.

"I'll be seeing people wearing Bermuda shorts and T-shirts in the snow," said the Berkeley resident.

Feutz, 68, is one of many Bay Area skiers and snowboarders who will forgo traditional Independence Day barbecues and camping trips this weekend. High snow levels mean many Northern California resorts will have lifts open this holiday weekend for the first time in nearly two decades.

The last time Squaw Valley had skiing and fireworks was 1993. The Tahoe-area resort extended its ski season by several weeks this year and will run six of its 33 lifts from today to Monday.

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[NormsRevenge]

Have a Safe 4th of July and try not to spend all your dough at the gas pump!

No matter how dark the sky

nor evil the threat

yada yada sumthin sumthin

Donate to FR and Just Feeel Good!

[Moltke]

Just a wild guess: There’ll always be enough money available for their Pervert Parades.

[NormsRevenge]

Just another Obama Recovery Summer here on the West Coast

[NormsRevenge]

one of them on a really hot day and that would be quite a mess.

[US_MilitaryRules]

No fireworks here in Torrance, Ca either. : (

[Carry_Okie]

The Fourth of July sky will be a little darker this year as lean economic times force cities across the Bay Area to snuff out a favorite all-American tradition: fireworks shows.

Liberals have been looking for excuses to gut Independence Day celebrations for years.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Yep, it all comes back to priorities.

They set a high priority on celebrating diversity and all that stuff, and allocate money for that.

But when it comes time to celebrate our nation, those who are setting priorities decided to cut back in that area.

It’s not that “there’s no money”, it’s that choices are being made to spend the funds elsewhere. And those in charge do not consider the 4th of July to be worth celebrating.

[Prince of Space]

I remember visiting SF in 1988 with hubby and our youngest, who was just an infant at the time. We went to dinner at Fisherman's Wharf and then watched the fireworks over the bay.

Of course, Reagan was president then and we had recently emerged from the dark Carter years.

I tried to tell people around me that Zero was Carter redux. I guess they had to learn it for themselves, though. Too bad the rest of us had to suffer yet again.

Mrs. Prince of Space

[darkwing104]

They must had of read the Harvard study regarding 4th of July celebrations...

[DBrow]

This of course has nothing to do with the skeevy Harvard report that claims that going to Fourth of July celebrations makes kids turn into Republicans.

[Lancey Howard]

Just a wild guess: There’ll always be enough money available for their Pervert Parades.

Oh yeah.. The San Fransicko city government considers those "essential services".

[DBrow]

lol GMTA You beat me!

[Psycho_Bunny]

And illegals: SF is a “sanctuary city”

[wolfcreek]

Most all are cancelled in our area for safty reasons. Too damn dry.

[NormsRevenge]

Hard to believe we could still have areas with dorught after all the snow and rain last winter out West. The Southwest continues to burn..

[ronnie raygun]

Why the hell should they care about celebrating the birth of our nation when they have nothing but disgust for it and our constitution.

[Joe Boucher]

I’d wager San Fran will not cancel their freakin gay pride parades, festivals, etc.
Priorities fags, priorities?
Celebrate America where you are free to even act like a prevert.
Like to see ya all do that crap in say Saudi Arabia.

[afraidfortherepublic]

There’ll always be enough money available for their Pervert Parades.

Isn't that the truth!