The thousands of spectators who line Alii Drive for a good view of the Fourth of July fireworks are being asked early to pass the hat along.
The thousands of spectators who line Alii Drive for a good view of the Fourth of July fireworks are being asked early to pass the hat along.
The Kailua-Kona Parade Association, which launches the display every year over Kailua Bay, is well short of the $34,800 needed to put on the pyrotechnic show. The organization has sparked an effort to raise an additional $16,000. About $14,000 in fireworks permit revenue is guaranteed to the show each year by the Hawaii County Fire Department.
The 10-minute display will go off at 8 p.m. as usual, said Barbara Kossow, chairwoman of the Kailua-Kona Fourth of July Fireworks Extravaganza.
“I’m told it’s going to be another outstanding show,” she said.
The road closure along Alii Drive will last longer this year. The 19th annual Kailua-Kona Independence Day Parade will begin at 6 p.m. July 4, and the street will be closed from 5:45 p.m. until after the fireworks are over. In previous years, the roadblocks were removed as soon as the parade was over, but the swirl of pedestrians and cars was hazardous, said Clifford Kopp, chairman of the Kailua-Kona Community Parade Association.
“It’s all about safety,” Kopp said. “The number of people is sort of staggering.”
The fireworks are set to be fired from a barge in Kailua Bay. Don Pascual, safety manager for Hawaii Pyrotechnics and Explosives, said the public can look forward to another tightly orchestrated, computerized display, with rockets bursting in air about every two seconds.
“We put off very creative, continuous firing, compared to a lot of shows around the nation that are hand-fired,” Pascual said.
There are 65 to 70 entrants in the parade so far, and room for more, Kopp said. The Hawaii National Guard will be grand marshal this year. The event will kick off with the Lava Kids Liberty Fun Run, with runners dressed in red, white and blue.
Individuals and organizations can contribute online and learn more at paradesinkona.com. Checks can be mailed to the Kailua-Kona Community Parade Association at P.O. Box 1965, Kailua-Kona, HI 96745. Individual and family sponsorships range from $10 to $300. Corporate and organization sponsorships are from $100 to $5,000.