Kennewick’s July 4th fireworks show is at risk. Can this group save it?

The River of Fire fireworks display in Columbia Park once again is at risk after its last organizer bowed out after two years.

But the city of Kennewick is in talks with a nonprofit possibly interested in not only taking responsibility for the event this July 4, but also developing it long term into the premier Independence Day event in the region.

When the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce withdrew as organizer after the 2017 River of Fire, the Tri-City Water Follies Association took over.

But after two years, the Water Follies group is not interested in putting on a third River of Fire, according to Kennewick city officials.

Now the Three Rivers Carousel Foundation, which raised the money needed to buy and begin operating the GESA Carousel of Dreams in Kennewick, is considering rescuing the traditional Fourth of July fireworks display over the Columbia River.

The foundation and the city of Kennewick are in preliminary talks about taking over organizing and managing the display.

The foundation would use the July 4 event as a fundraiser for the carousel.

Foundation building carousel trust

It also would be an opportunity to use its proven track record in putting on community events in partnership with the city to ensure long term success of the fireworks display and day of family fun in the park, said Eric Van Winkle, new chairman of the foundation board.

The Gesa Carousel of Dreams in Kennewick, a 1910 carousel with hand-carved wooden horses, has been a Southridge attraction for five years. It opened to the public after the foundation spent nine years on fundraising and then another five or so years of construction and related work.

After some rocky times through the years, the attraction is operating in the black and has $100,000 in the bank, Van Winkle said.

He’s proposing that the foundation board now shift much of its focus from carousel operations, which are going smoothly under executive director Parker Hodge, to raising money for a trust fund that would guarantee the future of the carousel.

Van Winkle’s long-term dream is to raise $1 million for the trust. But initially, the goal is to raise $100,000 each of the next two years.

A preliminary budget for the foundation’s tentative proposal for the River of Fire sets a goal of using it to raise $30,000 this year and again next year for the carousel.

Van Winkle estimates the fireworks event would cost about $70,000 to put on, which includes paying for fireworks, insurance, facility rentals, donations to volunteer organizations that provide help, marketing, supplies and other costs.

The foundation would try to raise $100,000 total to meet the foundation’s fundraising goal of having $30,000 to contribute to the carousel trust.

Moving fireworks back to river

The event has been passed around among organizations because “the costs are extraordinary,” Van Winkle said. Organizations cannot take over the heavy workload of the event without the possibility of making some money, he said.

The preliminary budget proposed by the foundation calls for the city of Kennewick to contribute $30,000 this year to the event, which for many families also includes a day in the park before the fireworks display starts at dusk.

The city more typically donates $10,000.

Currently, there’s no charge for admission except a $5 donation per car for parking. That raises about $12,000 to defray costs of the event.

Longer term the foundation would plan to approach other cities as it works to turn the fireworks display over the Columbia River into the premier fireworks show in the region, Van Winkle said.

Goals include shooting the fireworks again from the river.

Until 2018 the fireworks were launched from a Tidewater barge in the middle of the Columbia River, that could be anchored in the river without tugboats. But then Tidewater sold the aging barge and nothing comparable has been available to replace it.

Fireworks have had to be set off from within Columbia Park the last two years, with a large safety zone around them that interferes with traffic access through the park.

Kennewick and foundation partnerships

The city of Kennewick has been looking at better options, but a solution is not expected by this summer.

Staff say not having the fireworks show this year would be an unpopular option, especially after telling residents that they are not allowed to set off fireworks, but they can watch the public display in the park.

Van Winkle raised the idea of the Three Rivers Carousel Foundation taking over River of Fire at a recent City Council workshop.

No vote was taken, but there were no objections to city staff pursuing the possibility of working with the foundation and coming back with more information for a council decision.

The foundation has a history of partnering with the city of Kennewick on events.

It has put on First Night Tri-Cities at the Gesa Carousel of Dreams for several years. It is a host for the spring Vintage at the Ridge antiques and collectible show, and it partnered with the city to develop Southridge at Sunset on summer Friday evenings with food trucks and live entertainment.

The foundation board has not approved taking on the River of Fire but it has agreed that Van Winkle should continue working with the city and provide more budget information to the council at its Feb. 4 meeting.

This story was originally published January 27, 2020 at 5:00 AM.