Mineola to celebrate last year's fireworks show

Pete Jakstas said it'll be strange for him to not be sitting on the deck of the Mineola Hotel on the shores of Fox Lake, watching the fireworks show he created explode over head.

Jakstas, owner of the Mineola Marina and Lounge, has been exploding fireworks for the village and roughly 20,000 boaters on the Chain O' Lakes for the past 25 years.

But monetary issues and bickering with village officials over the centennial show in 2007 forced Jakstas into retirement this year, shutting down what has become known as the as the best fireworks show in Lake County.

"I actually think boaters will still park their boats outside tomorrow, waiting for the fireworks to launch," he said. "That's why we are going to have this little celebration. There may not be fireworks outside, but there will be some inside."

Jakstas said people who are planning to stay away from the Fox Lake fireworks this year because the event was moved off the water are welcome to come and watch last year's display with him on television at the Mineola starting at 7 p.m.

Jakstas was the head of the fireworks for the past 25 years before retiring following the celebration last year.

Jakstas said he was extremely upset the village moved the show off the water and onto a 5-acre parcel of village owned land on Rollins Road, one block east of Sayton Road.

But he made it perfectly clear today's celebration is not a protest. He said he is wishing the village of Fox Lake luck with the fireworks this year.

He said, though, this is a chance for people who are upset with the fireworks being on land to come together and remember what was.

"We'll have a few drink specials and a lot of people who love the event every year will be here cheering the fireworks from last year," he said. "It should be fun."

The fight between Jakstas and Fox Lake officials started in February of 2007, when Mayor Cindy Irwin announced she could not reach a monetary agreement with Jakstas to put on the show. She said through a news release that she was cutting ties with the fireworks organization and will find someone else to put on the show.

However, cooler heads prevailed over the next two months, and Jakstas and Irwin came to an agreement to put on the show in time for the Fourth of July festivities last year, the village's 100th anniversary.

However, Jakstas said before the 2007 show that it would be his last and the village could take it over if leaders wanted to.

But, the village was unable to get the paperwork needed to hold the fireworks over the Chain O' Lakes as has been done over the last 25 years, so it moved the event to land.

The move upset the boating and business community, and has led boaters to announce they would boycott the event this year.