What was hoped to have been the first major public event hosted by the District of Houston since the beginning of the pandemic was cancelled.
A planned fireworks display the Labour Day long weekend Saturday of Sept. 4 was officially shelved because of an ongoing ban on firework displays.
“In speaking with the Northwest Fire Centre, the likelihood of the firework ban being lifted in time for the Labour Day long weekend is very slim,” services director Cassie Ofner had said District of Houston leisure in a statement last week.
The Northwest Fire Centre announced last week on Wednesday that open fire ban on category 2 and 3 fires would be rescinded on Sept. 7, just after labour day.
This is the second time the District has had to cancel planned fireworks. A general open burning ban brought in just days before the traditional Canada Day fireworks display forced the District to postpone the event then.
Officials were then optimistic for cooler weather so that restrictions would be lifted to allow the display on Sept. 4.
“In respect of the preparation that this event would take, the district has decided to cancel the firework show,” said Ofner.
“We hope that we will be in a different situation next summer and that we are able to put on a wonderful show when the time is right,” she added.
The District set aside $10,000 for the display which was supplemented by a $4,000 federal grant.
An extension to use the federal grant has already been asked for once and provided and the District will now ask again.
“We will ask for another extension, but if that is not granted we may lose the additional funding,” Ofner said.