During the July 7 City Council meeting Palos Heights Mayor Robert Straz offered an explanation for the last-minute cancellation of the city’s fireworks on July 3, and announced the rescheduled date of the show.
Straz noted that the city had intended to go ahead with the fireworks celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary, despite rain in the forecast, until conditions changed rapidly.
“At about 8:30 or so, we were talking to the pyrotechnic engineers and they thought we had a window until about 9:30 for the fireworks, but then at 10 to 9 or 9 o’clock, all of a sudden a downpour started, and once I saw lightning start, I just cancelled it,” he said. “It was not worth the liability of somebody getting hurt.”
The park was evacuated Friday night minutes before the fireworks were set to begin.
Straz said that the city has talked about the situation and has decided to reschedule the fireworks for August 13, following the final Concert in the Park event of the summer.
“We’re going to do it as a sort of end of summer, back to school event instead,” noted Straz.
The final concert of the season will feature a performance by The Chicago Experience, a tribute act playing the hits of the band Chicago, in Memorial Park, 7607 W College Drive, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. followed by the fireworks at 9.
Attendees are encouraged to bring folding chairs or picnic blankets to enjoy the show.
While the fireworks were postponed, the Independence Day parade went off as planned on Saturday, and Straz and the city council members all thanked the community for coming out to support what they described as “the city’s biggest parade ever.”
The city council also praised the efforts of the Palos Police and Fire Departments, as well as the Public Works staff for smoothly coordinating events over the holiday weekend.
