No 4th fireworks, but parade marches on in Des Plaines

Though Des Plaines won’t have any Fourth of July fireworks this year, the Independence Day parade will still march on, officials said this week.

Des Plaines residents may want to go to neighboring Wheeling where officials this week decided to revive the Fourth of July fireworks for the first time in three years. Wheeling will pay $30,000 for a 20-minute fireworks display, but will drop its parade.

Des Plaines city leaders decided late last year not to allocate any funds for fireworks in the 2011 budget because they felt it was important to scale back in tough economic times, Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan said.

In previous years, the $16,000 cost was paid for through proceeds from the annual Taste of Des Plaines, which marked its final year in 2010. This year, the city instead is partnering with Special Events Management to produce a four-day summer festival at no cost to the city.

The Fourth parade — estimated to cost between $10,000 and $15,000 — will be partially funded through roughly $7,000 left over in an escrow special events fund. The rest will be covered through sponsorships, a $25 per float entry fee and fundraising.

Moylan said city leaders discussed eliminating the parade but the talk spurred a public outcry.

“The Fourth of July parade is like apple pie,” Moylan said. “It’s a very popular event.”

There wasn’t a similar public uproar to bring back the fireworks, he added.

The theme “Des Plaines … You’ve come a long way!” was chosen to get individuals and groups to recreate memories from Des Plaines’ past, said parade coordinator and Special Events Commissioner Carol Shannon.

“We wanted people to take a look back and remember local sites such as the Sears Catalog Store, Bill’s Pet Shop, Words & Music, the Oktoberfest at Lee and Oakton Street and vaudeville at the Des Plaines Theater,” she said.

The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. from Oakton and Center streets, with representatives of Schimka Auto Wreckers Inc., which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, serving as parade marshal.

Parade applications will soon be available on the city’s website, desplaines.org, or may be picked up at the City Clerk’s Office, Room 602, City Hall, 1420 Miner St., or at the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 1401 Oakton St.

Parade review stands will be at a new location this year at the intersection of Thacker and Center streets. Sponsorships are available for $50 to $1,000.