By Guy Busby, guy@gulfcoastmedia.com
FAIRHOPE – Fireworks will explode over downtown Fairhope to ring in 2022 after the display was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic a year ago.
The Fairhope City Council voted Monday, Nov. 22 to hire J&M Displays of Dothan to put on the display. The resolution stated that Mayor Sherry Sullivan would negotiate a price for the service.
Paige Crawford, Fairhope community development director, said the price is expected to be about $10,000.
She said J&M Displays also put on the city’s July 4 fireworks display.
“We contracted out a turn-key show for our Fourth of July celebration at the pier, which they did a phenomenal job,” Crawford said.
She said the City Council will also be asked to approve hiring J&M Displays for the July 4, 2022 fireworks event at the Fairhope Pier. The cost of the 2022 July 4 display is expected to be more than the cost in 2021.
“The cost of everything is skyrocketing, so the cost of our show last year, I think we budgeted about $32,000 for is looking around $40,000 for the same show if we want to go with that option,” Crawford told council members. “Obviously, we can stick with our budgeted amount and shoot off less fireworks, which will kind of bring down the show a bit, but if we are expecting the same show, the price tag is going to go up, so just a heads up on that.”
The Fairhope Volunteer Fire Department put on city fireworks shows before the COVID-19 pandemic. When the displays were canceled, city firefighters were not able to maintain their certification needed to work with fireworks.
Anyone who applies for an Alabama pyrotechnic shooter license issued by the state Fire Marshal' office, must take part in displays under the direction of an Alabama licensed shooter for six shows and provide verification of experience for each show, according to city reports.
The $32,000 cost of the July 4 show was about $17,000 more than the city had paid in the past for displays conducted by the Fire Department.
