SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — Record high water levels for Lake Michigan have prompted South Haven city officials to cancel this year’s fireworks show for Independence Day.
The fireworks show happens each July 3 off South Haven's North Pier. Thousands of residents and visitors turn out for the event.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has recorded all-time records for water levels in January and February of this year. According to a press release from the city of South Haven, the agency is predicting those levels to rise eight to 10 inches higher by July.
Higher than normal lake levels will be seen throughout the summer, creating higher wave action and effectively submerging the pier – and making it unsafe for the pyrotechnics experts to stage the show.
“Fireworks are an event South Haven residents and visitors alike have enjoyed over the years, so it is disappointing to reach this decision,” said City Manager Brian Dissette. “The safety of those staging the show, along with those watching, is our primary concern. With Lake Michigan at record levels, we all agreed it would be unsafe to try and host the fireworks off the North Pier, which is really the only place where we could safely launch them and be far enough away from residential neighborhoods.
Dissette said there is great deal of logistical complexity that goes into the fireworks show and it all takes months of planning and coordination to execute.
"We felt it was important to communicate this decision now so that we didn’t invest time and money into planning an event we won’t be able to host safely," Dissette said.
Dissette noted the city leaders have been talking with the South Haven Visitors Bureau about expanding its popular New Year’s Eve celebration by adding fireworks.
This year’s city-wide event featured ice skating downtown, a youth celebration at the South Haven Center for the Arts and a party in downtown, complete with music, dancing, street performers, a bonfire, laser lights and the beachball drop at midnight.
“We are considering shifting some of these activities closer to Riverfront Park and adding a fireworks display,” said Scott Reinert, executive director of the South Haven/Van Buren County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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