2012 KaBoom! Fireworks Canceled
The annual fireworks show, a staple in Red Bank for decades, has been canceled this year due to rising costs.
Faced with the ever-rising costs associated with putting on a fireworks show that attracts more than 100,000 people annually, the KaBoom executive committee has made the decision to cancel this year's July 3rd fireworks show.
According to a release from the KaBoom committee, the "inability to meet soaring security costs and insurance premiums as well as the difficulty of monitoring public safety" are the prime reasons for the show's cancelation.
The first fireworks show over the Navesink was held in Red Bank in 1959 and has been an annual tradition ever since. In recent years, however, as the number of attendees has swelled, so too has the cost. For the past few years, the show has cost the KaBoom committee, a non-profit that has relied heavily on contributions from local businesses, upwards of $250,000 to host the 30-odd minute show.
“Following a several month-long process of examination and discussion, the KaBoom executive committee has concluded that KaBoom as we know it is not sustainable in the current economy, taking into account escalating costs to maintain public safety coupled with the increasing costs of products and services related to the event,” KaBoom Committee Chairman Tim Hogan said in a release. “KaBoom is a victim of its own success. Each year brought increasing numbers of visitors to Red Bank, especially as towns throughout New Jersey cancelled their own Fourth of July fireworks displays. Our security costs doubled in the last three years, and although we raised more money in 2011 than ever before, we continued to incur a deficit with each succeeding year.”
Danny Murphy, a member of the KaBoom Committee and owner of Danny's Steakhouse, said the first year the fireworks show was held it cost $1,700. In 2010, the KaBoom paid more than $40,000 in police costs alone.
With more than 100,000 descending on Red Bank each year, police have been pushed to their limits. Last year, even with stormy weather shrinking the crowd a bit, local law enforcement, stocked with reinforcements from police departments throughout the county, still had trouble keeping things under control as reports of public intoxication and fighting were widespread.
In addition to donations collected at the event, a small sum compared to the overall costs, as well as gifts from local businesses, the borough was an annual contributor to the event, too. Not this year, however, as rising municipal costs saw the borough beg off helping fund the 50-plus year tradition.
“While we haven’t closed the door to some type of celebration taking place in future, currently there are no plans to replace KaBoom with other fireworks or a different type of celebration," Mayor Pat Menna said in a release. "As towns across the country are making tough economic choices, we need to focus Red Bank’s funds on core municipal services.”
Ultimately, Hogan said it may have been the rain the finished off the fireworks show. Though the show itself was not impacted by inclement weather, the weekend was largely a bust thanks to consistent and heavy rainfall. Previous, largely-attended leadups to the fireworks show like the a concert series and kiddie carnival saw small crowds. Fundraising at these events struggled.
It is unclear how, if, and when the show will go on in the future.
Andres Simonson
11:03 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Wow. Talk about throwing out the baby with the bath water. We have kinks to work out, so you know what, we’ll cancel a fifty year Americana tradition entirely. Logical conclusion. What’s more, let’s cancel foregoing any meaningful public input. Shameful.
Shannon K. Winning
11:13 am on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
I hope that cancelling it one year and perhaps rebooting it the following year would cut down on the big, sometimes drunk, crowds that reek such havoc. Growing up I don't think I ever missed a show. I've seen it from Marine Park, Monmouth Boat Club, from the river on a kayak, sailboat and power boat, and even on a lawn chair on far away Spring Street. Really going to miss the fireworks.
captain nemo
12:15 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
This is nothing but a shameless publicity tactic by local politicians designed to swell public support, and ensuing public funds, toward an event that has willfully grown into a very real security risk and liability for the town. They wanted it big. They couldn’t manage it big. And now they will want us the taxpayers to pay for its bigness.
gladdecorating
8:04 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Wow....it's like big brother just cancelled Christmas! What a shame for those of us who looked forward to this event year after year and celebrating it with family and friends. Amazing the thousands of people who are going to be disappointed this year. FYI: Rumson cancelled their fireworks celebration too for July 2012. Never thought how fortunate we were to enjoy a little 4th of July fireworks in our own back yard...now we have to tell the children how unfortunate it will be for them!
Christina Warren
6:57 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
It is a shame, Kaboom thanks for all you have done in the past to make this a spectacular time for all of us to see. It will be a shame to not have anymore. Hope this doesn't put too much pressure on surrounding towns and they cancel too!
Laura Madsen
7:23 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
It sounds like the fireworks show needs more sponsorship so it becomes affordable - either private or corporate. There was a similar situation in Hillsborough, NJ, and one of the town officials brought it back by sponsoring the fireworks event himself. Granted, it was smaller scale, but I think if Redbank really wanted the show to go on, there's a way to do it if funding can be secured. Here's a link to one of the articles in the Hillsborough Patch on the topic of fireworks that almost went extinct in that town. http://hillsborough.patch.com/articles/fireworks-return-to-hillsborough-this-fourth-of-july
Maureen Hourigan
8:24 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Are you sure it's not because Occupy will be Occupying Marine Park?
Pamela McCoy
8:58 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Pamela McCoy
8:54 am on Thursday, February 16, 2012
What a shame that something like KABOOM! which brings over 100,000 people to Red Bank, does not have the support of it's own Mayor and council. Executive Director, Charles Moran created great new fundraising efforts like introducing the "Rock the River" concert the night prior to the fireworks, as well as the idea for charging a small fee and providing bracelets for entry, to name a couple, all of which could have been the start of a new campaign for financial support by the community to perpetuate this much anticipated summer event. The unfortunate weather conditions last year completely sabatoged all of those efforts resulting in virtually no attendance, and that was all the impetetus the town needed to finally close down KABOOM! Even those businesses in town who profit the most from the influx of people do not respond to the request of the fireworks committee to donate some of their profits to help defray the cost. The fireworks have come a long way since I was a child sitting on a picnic blanket in Marine Park in awe. The enormity of putting this kind of event together yearly should be supported and shared throughout the town AND borough to ensure its continuity!
Boris Kofman
1:32 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
This may sound unthinkable at first, but maybe it's time to reconsider if the fireworks are essential to a July 4th celebration. It's probably the main attraction for the unruly out-of-towners, a large (largest?) component of the financial cost, not to mention the environmental cost. Other places are managing without them - http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2011/10/mount-rushmore-national-memorial-officials-decide-do-away-fourth-july-fireworks8914
A laser light show might be a good alternative. If it's a choice between no celebration and a fireworks-free celebration, which would you choose?
rbresident
6:29 pm on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
If you're from red bank you know how out of control the fire works have gotten. Why don't all these people from different towns take to to where they live and see how they like it. It seems the out of towners are the ones with the biggest problem with it being canceled.
viking kaj
10:05 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Wow, this is great. Now all the idiots who park and pee in my front yard will stay at home and we will get our town and streets back.
Kaboom is a huge pain in the butt. It should be cancelled 4ever!
Shannon K. Winning
10:09 am on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Viking kaj - That's terrible that it turned into something that hurt residents like you. I remember when it was a local thing. All you had to do was drop off your blanket in Marine Park a couple hours before the show and you and your kids could hang out and watch the show without a problem.
Sven Finlander
8:45 pm on Saturday, March 10, 2012
Kaboom WOW - what a shame. I moved to this town 6 years ago and this was always one of the big things my son and I looked forward to each year. Sad that with all the money in the area that this can't somehow be managed. Local businesses should be screaming at the lost business, not only for the event but for the additional lost business of people coming for the event and seeing the town and returning. I have introduced many friends from North Jersey and NYC to red bank for the event over the years and many have come back for dinner, concerts, theater. No more.
Laura Madsen
1:44 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Looks like they're bringing the fireworks back in Hillsborough this year, though! Maybe they'll revive it in Redbank someday....? Here's a link to my blog on Patch about the fireworks in my town making a comeback this year: http://hillsborough.patch.com/blog_posts/and-the-show-will-go-on-fireworks-to-continue-in-hillsborough-this-summer
Philip Attanasio
6:28 am on Monday, April 30, 2012
Its time to worry about more important topics than the fireworks in Redbank.
Laura A
10:58 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
I've been to them every year for 20 years and live in Red Bank. Sure the one day and night of crowds is an inconvenience, but carrying in the tradition was worth it. And maybe the bars that overserve the visibly drunk people should hire more staff to manage them. Not everyone goes to the fireworks drunk or to drink. Id say in the past 5 years I can't say I remember being bothered by or near an unruly intoxicated person. The cancellation is ridiculous and as someone said previously if I was a business owner in this economy I'd be outraged.
Jo Ann Clark
12:14 am on Tuesday, June 19, 2012
. As a Red Bank resident , I was double checking tonight to recomfirm the reality of no fireworks ! It's true !!! It's true !!!
k boom
3:35 pm on Saturday, June 30, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEOwjyBOHfw