Strive for regional fireworks show
When Batavia offered a different twist on the traditional Fourth of July fireworks celebration more than 20 years ago, it would boost the city past others in boasting of a grand holiday display. It was known as the "Big Bang" skyrocket, touted as one of the largest skyrockets to legally be used in a Fourth of July show. Batavia was plunking down lots of money to draw people to the city's party.
The promotion worked. The "Big Bang" skyrocket, in the eyes of most observers, did not live up to the hype. But Batavia had positioned itself as a city that liked big Independence Day parties. The power of a particular skyrocket won't be debated in Batavia any time soon. But the power of a big show vs. a smaller one definitely will be on the minds of many the next few weeks.
City officials and Roger Breisch, who has been chairman of the city's Fourth of July show for 16 years and will step down after the 2009 show, are informing residents that the upcoming high school expansion will cause some changes this year, but will make it impossible to stage the city's major fireworks show at that location by 2010. Batavia's show clearly has become an area favorite.
Residents rallied around the concept of giving Batavia's show more of a regional appeal -- with an impressive fireworks display, entertainment, food booths, and live patriotic music tied in with a radio simulcast. It was a perfect setup for Batavia because neighboring Geneva had not offered a Fourth of July fireworks show in decades. Years ago, Geneva staged its fireworks on the last day of Swedish Days, but it was so close to other area shows on the Fourth that it eventually was trimmed from the festival budget.
Batavians will debate the fate of the show at a July 14 public meeting. It seems certain that the hunt for an area with plenty of open space for people and parking, plus walking access for attendees, will be hard to pinpoint in Batavia. That means the option of reverting to a much smaller show will be appealing.
We could tell there was a lot of community pride behind Batavia's big fireworks show, and we'd like to see it continue -- especially if it means Geneva and Batavia could somehow stage a show together.
Space for a regional show may be available west of Randall Road, in either Batavia or Geneva township, or near Geneva's middle schools campus. If this idea could take hold, many service clubs or volunteer groups could hop on board, in the same manner as Naperville's Ribfest, and lay the foundation for something exciting in the future.
It won't be the end of the world if Batavia reverts to a small community-based show. Residents throughout the area would have to find other shows to attend -- the Cougars, St. Charles, North Aurora, etc.
But the idea of a big regional show has proven successful for Batavia and, with cooperation from others, it could get even bigger and better in the future.