Community Fireworks Cancelled This Year

A tough sponsorship climate has led to the cancellation of this November’s community fireworks event in New Plymouth.

“It’s a hard decision to make but there just isn’t the funding available to pay for the fireworks, entertainment, security and everything else required to make the event happen,” says Manager Recreation and Events Brent Thawley.

“The team has worked hard to find sponsorship over recent months, but all community groups are finding it difficult to raise additional funding right now. We’re gutted the event can’t happen this year but we’ll be doing everything possible to bring it back next year.”

The Council had planned to shift the fireworks from the TSB Bowl of Brooklands to the central city, for the welfare of the animals in Brooklands Zoo. While some animals could be shifted to locations elsewhere in the district in the lead-up to the event, the exotic animals could not be moved and some became stressed by the fireworks.

The event at the Bowl costs about $35,000, taking into account revenue from gold coin donations, whereas the central city location would have cost about $25,000. The event is almost entirely funded by sponsors.

“Even though there won’t be the fireworks in November we’ll still have a busy summer of events,” says Mr Thawley.

“We have a great programme of on-stage entertainment planned for the TSB Bank Festival of Lights in Pukekura Park, followed by the More FM Summer Vineyard Tour in February and then WOMAD.”