No Elburn Day in the Park

There are no fireworks in Elburn this year because there is no Day in the Park.

The Elburn Chamber of Commerce decided not to have the picnic, due to lack of money, Chamber President Leslie Flint said Wednesday.

The chamber “took quite a bit of a hit” on the festival last year, she said. Admission was free. People were asked to pay $5 for parking and to donate money for the fireworks. The difference between donations and the cost was made up by the chamber, but members felt the organization could not afford to keep doing that. “We did not want to take any chances,” Flint said.

The event started in 1997 and was held the first Sunday after Independence Day at Lions Park.

Businesses sponsored the event in part. Money was also raised in donation canisters placed around town, and at pork-chop dinners.

In 2009 the committee had trouble raising enough money in advance for the event, particularly its well-received fireworks show. It used to spend as much as $15,000 for the fireworks alone, for a show that lasted 20 to 30 minutes.

It put the money instead toward the 2010 Day in the Park.

“We would like to see it return,” Flint said.