Fireworks Shows Are On for Many Cash-Strapped Towns

by KYW's Brad Segall

Several dozen communities across the country have canceled their Fourth of July fireworks displays because of the tight economy, but here in the Delaware Valley, the show will go on in most of the towns that usually celebrate.

Only a handful of communities in the Philadelphia region have silenced the pyrotechnics because of budget problems, but many have cut back on what they’ve done in past years.

One of the biggest in the area is the Glenside-Abington celebration. Parade and fireworks coordinator Bill Hall says it was touch-and-go until a few days ago, but the show will go on:

“We found that our institutional and corporate funding was off and we had rain last year so donations that were collected at the fireworks weren’t as substantial as they had been in prior years.”

The Greater Glenside Patriotic Association sent out more than 17,000 fliers to the community recently and enough money came in to pay for the fireworks. Hall says the people look forward to the fireworks and there would be a void if there was nothing after the parade to cap off the day.