Tri-Cities fireworks show could be back on. But how to make it work?

Kennewick may have its Fourth of July fireworks show after all this summer.

Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement last week that the state of Washington should fully reopen by June 30 opens the door for a possible River of Fire fireworks display in Columbia Park, said Evelyn Lusignan, spokeswoman for the city of Kennewick.

The city and the Three Rivers Carousel Foundation Board, which took over organization of the event last year, announced early this month that the event had been canceled because of the COVID pandemic for a second year in a row.

It had a May 3 deadline with its fireworks vendor to cancel its order or lose its deposit.

With uncertainty about whether large events would be allowed in the state on July 4, it canceled the order.

Now the city is talking with its fireworks vendor again about a possible purchase, but rescheduling the July 4 fireworks over the Columbia River remains far from certain.

“Everyone is working really hard to see if there is a way to make it work,” Lusignan said.

Eric Van Winkle, chairman of the Three Rivers Carousel Foundation Board, said the foundation is hopeful that there will be an event.

If a decision is made to move forward with the River of Fire this year, a lot of work would need to be done to quickly organize the large event.

But the foundation and city had started preparations before the event was canceled early this month, which would help make it possible, Van Winkle said.

“We think this community needs a celebration and it might as well be on the Fourth of July,” he said.

If the Kennewick fireworks show is rescheduled the community will need to step up and provide sponsorships to help pay for it, he said.

The fireworks show has previously been organized by the Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Tri-City Water Follies Association, before the Three Rivers Carousel Foundation agreed to take over the job.

The city of Kennewick, as an event sponsor, provides significant resources, including the park, emergency services and the fireworks for the show.

Other summer events

• Organizers of Tri-Cities Water Follies and the HAPO Columbia Cup hydroplane races have submitted plans for a scaled-down event this summer.
• The Benton Franklin Fair & Rodeo committee is moving forward with plans to hold one of biggest annual fairs in the Northwest. The fair along with the Horse Heaven Round-Up is set for Aug. 24-28.
• The Richland Allied Arts Association is making a second attempt to celebrate the 70th Art in the Park on July 23-24 at Howard Amon Park in Richland. The show brings hundreds of artists and vendors, performers and nonprofit concessionaires from around the Northwest the same weekend as Water Follies.
• West Richland’s annual Hogs and Dogs and the Cool Desert Nights car show that are usually in late June have been rescheduled for September. Hogs and Dogs is set Sept. 30 at the Bombing Range Sport Complex and Cool Desert Nights will be Sept. 30-Oct. 3.

• The city of Pasco has not said what its Grand Old 4th of July Celebration will look like. Organizers hope to decide by the beginning of June plans for its parade and fireworks show.

This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 10:48 AM.