City Lights Festival out; July 4th fireworks on

But having decided to drop the City Lights Festival due to poor attendance, the DDA voted Jan. 25 to have a stand-alone fireworks display at dusk on Wednesday, July 4.

“That’s a neat idea, doing the fireworks on the Fourth,” quipped member David Sanders.

Claudine Smith, who chairs the committee, said the group may promote the event as an opportunity for families to have picnics that evening in Spencer Park.

As for the City Lights Festival, the DDA struggled to attract a crowd for a day-long event that was often held under sweltering conditions. Last year, the DDA shortened the hours but at its annual planning session this year decided to pull the plug altogether.

That also gives the DDA the opportunity to shift $5,000 budgeted for City Lights into its line item for advertising to replace funds depleted by its advertising for the March 2-4 Folk to Fine Art Festival.

Chairman Mark McCannon observed that whereas the City Lights Festival did not produce much revenue, the art festival could be a potential moneymaker for the IDA.