City of Apopka to host Independence Day fireworks event

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The upcoming Independence Day fireworks spectacular that the city of Apopka is organizing should run much more smoothly compared to last year’s installment, according to Mayor Bryan Nelson.

With free admission and parking, Fireworks on the Fourth will be held Thursday, July 4, 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Apopka amphitheater in the Northwest Recreation Complex, 3710 Jason Dwelley Parkway.

The city originally budgeted $85,200 for the event, included in the Parks and Recreation Department’s current budget. However, according to the agenda packet for the June 19 City Council meeting, the total expected expenses for the event are $52,895.58. The cancellation insurance premium is $2,531 with a deductible of $8,320 that will possibly be lowered to $5,290. The event’s major expenses are fireworks ($20,000) and entertainment ($15,784).

“As long as the weather is good (because) if there’s lightning and thunder, obviously the fireworks won’t go off,” Mayor Nelson said. “And if the winds are about 20 to 25 miles per hour, the fireworks won’t go off. Those are the caveats on any fireworks going off.”

Fireworks on the Fourth will offer kids inflatables, food and drink vendors and live music by the Orlando rock group Stereo FM.

The night will cap with the traditional fireworks by Zambelli Fireworks.

Zambelli Fireworks replaces Creative Pyrotechnics, the company the city of Apopka hired for the 2018 Fireworks on the Fourth.

E.J. Weppel, owner of Creative Pyrotechnics, blamed weather delays, then later his company being understaffed, for the $24,500 worth of fireworks never going off on July 4.

At least three other Florida cities also had no-show events on July 4 that had been contracted to Creative Pyrotechnics.

To make up for the fiasco, the city contracted Zambelli Fireworks to handle the task at the Sunday Funday event on September 2, 2018, during Labor Day weekend, at the Northwest Recreation Complex.

This article appears on page 3A of the Friday, June 21 issue of The Apopka Chief