Volunteers in Mira Mesa raise money each year to fund the community's Fourth of July fireworks show, with no public funding involved. It's a tradition that has continued for over 40 years, according to Pam Stevens, a volunteer with Scripps Mesa Fireworks.
The fireworks show costs about $30,000, and this year fundraising proved more difficult than usual — even as the country marks its 250th anniversary.
"Well, it costs about $30,000 for the fireworks show; there's no public money available for it," Jeff Stevens, the Secretary of the Mira mesa Town Council said.
Fundraising came down to the wire this year, but a last-minute private donation made the celebration possible.
"It was much harder to fundraise this year. I can't give you a name, but there was a private party who was able to make a much larger donation than most people are able to make," Pam Stevens said.
However, the fireworks show will take place on July 3 rather than July 4 to save money. Organizers started the tradition a couple of years ago because holding the show on the Fourth of July costs roughly double — $50,000 — an expense the group said it cannot cover.
"It's become a tradition that people actually kind of like, because it spread out the 4th of July celebration over two days," Jeff Stevens said.
The event at Hourglass Park in Mira Mesa will feature food trucks, a kids zone, craft booths, a car show and fireworks. To learn more about the event, click here.
A July 4th parade will also take place for the first time since 2018, starting at 11 a.m. Saturday morning.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
