SLO County fireworks shows canceled amid coronavirus concerns
Fireworks will be a no-show on Independence Day in San Luis Obispo County, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
The city of Pismo Beach announced Thursday that it is canceling its Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza due to social distancing concerns.
Now Cambria’s American Legion Post No. 432 and the Cayucos Chamber of Commerce have confirmed that they are also canceling July 4 fireworks shows.
The news comes about two months after the announcement in February that Paso Pops, an annual San Luis Obispo Symphony concert and fireworks display in Paso Robles, was canceled due to financial issues.
A representative for the Templeton Chamber of Commerce said Monday via email that it hasn’t yet determined if the town’s popular Fourth of July parade will happen this year. That decision should be announced by mid-May, the representative said.
Event organizers in Cayucos, Cambria and Pismo Beach say they intend to provide blockbuster Independence Day events in 2021.
Cambria
Other factor in Cambria’s decision to cancel its Fourth of July fireworks were complications in getting the permitting required for a show from a park and offshore area that are under the jurisdiction of several federal, state and county agencies, according to Smokey Drew and George Gray, who have been working on event planning.
Canceling the event “will be another staggering blow to our economy, especially because the holiday is on a Saturday, which always draws big crowds,” Mel McColloch, president of the Cambria Chamber of Commerce, said Friday.
It will be hard on the American Legion, too, added McColloch, an active member of Legion Post No. 432 for 30 years.
“It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year,” he said. “Funds that don’t go back into the next year’s activities go into scholarships. This year, we’ll have no money for that.”
McColloch had hoped that life and business on the North Coast would have been back on a more even keel by Independence Day. The annual celebration at Shamel Park “could have been like the grand reopening of Cambria,” he said.
Mary Ann Carson, the chamber’s executive director, said “it seems clear that it would not be feasible to have a gathering like the 4th of July celebration this year, according to State and local COVID-19 protocol.”
“I think the visitor population understands this because I have not had any calls inquiring about it,” Carson added, which is unusual for this time of year.
She said the chamber also has had to “cancel the June Chili Cook Off & Car Show and also the August Olallieberry Festival for the same ‘no gathering’ guidelines.”
“It is not practical to plan an event, outlay a good portion of money and time to organize and prepare, then have to cancel,” Carson said.
Unfortunately, that means “our local business community will also suffer from the cutback of tourist events, as if they haven’t suffered enough,” she said.
Cayucos
The Cayucos Chamber of Commerce has suspended its annual Fourth of July activities, which attract thousands of visitors.
In addition, the Cayucos Lions Club recently decided not to mount its annual Independence Day parade.
“The Cayucos Lions have been organizing the July 4th parade for decades now and we are saddened not to be able to share this great family event with the community this year,” Cayucos Lions Club president Breck Smith said. “However, we needed to consider the safety of our members, our community, and all those wishing to visit our special town. We look forward to resuming this tradition in 2021.”
To help the town commemorate this year’s holiday in a respectful and responsible way, the Cayucos chamber said it’s drafting plans for a safe July 4th alternative and is reevaluating its annual event fundraising plan.
“Our No. 1 priority is the health and safety of our community, both residents and visitors alike,” said Gil Igleheart, Cayucos chamber board vice president and July 4th committee lead. “Plus, our focus over the next several months will be supporting our town recovery.
“It has been a tough decision, but an important one. So many people look forward to this event each year.”
With visitors still expected to visit the beach community over the holiday weekend, the Cayucos chamber plans to share a “Cayucos July 4th 2020 Visitor’s Guide” in June with alternate plans.
The chamber has requested assistance from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol and Cal Fire to deter people from holding large gatherings and setting off their own fireworks, which are prohibited by law.
The decision to cancel the Fourth of July event also impacts the Cayucos chamber’s annual May Madness fundraising event, held each spring to raise more than $30,000 for fireworks costs.
Igleheart added that “the Cayucos chamber board is reviewing the fundraising timeline and may consider holding a similar event in the fall and assessing where the money would best be invested in its programs and the community.”
This story was originally published May 8, 2020 at 3:03 PM.
