Kearney Approves July 2nd Fireworks Show
/The Kearney Board of Aldermen approved a proposal for a fireworks display conducted by Premier Pyrotechnics for this year’s Independence Day holiday.
There are a few changes to note this year such as date, location and size of shells available. However, Mayor Randy Pogue indicated that due to outside circumstances, Kearney is lucky Premier Pyrotechnics was available and had fireworks available.
“Fireworks, like a lot of items this year, cannot be imported,” said Pogue. “It was not looking good for us to have a show in general.”
The city looked for companies who could accommodate a fireworks show in Kearney for July 3rd or 4th, but could not locate an available company. Staff found that Premier was available on Friday, July 2nd due to a cancelation in another town.
The location of the shoot is still being considered. Staff recommended that the shoot be done from the Noah’s Landing property owned by Jim Robertson, which is centrally located in the middle of town. This brought up concerns of safety on neighboring properties due to mid-sized shells being used in a residential area.
Another possibility suggested is to move the shoot location back to Jesse James Park. If the board decides on Jesse James Park as the shoot location, they plan on adding amenities like inflatables and activities for families who view the fireworks at the park.
The final discussion point for this year was the size of shell that was available. The maximum size available to the city is a 6 inch shell; in past shows the largest shell was 10 inches The 6 inch shell size will make the display similar in size to the Christmas Parade fireworks display that drew praise from residents.
The board ended the discussion with the approval of a fireworks display provided by Premier Pyrotechnics on Friday, July 2nd for $15,000.
In an update from city staff on May 18, KPGZ News has learned that the City is moving the Fireworks Celebration back to Jesse James Park on July 2nd. They will have a free concert, inflatables for the kids, and fireworks to end the evening.
KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story
