Kill Devil Hills Likely to Reschedule Fireworks to Dec. 17th First Flight Anniversary
The Kill Devi Hills Board of Commissioners discussed rescheduling the town’s annual July 4th fireworks again from its from its previously rescheduled date during Labor Day Weekend until later in the year, most likely on December 17th, which is the first flight anniversary, celebrated annually with activities all day at Wright Brothers National Memorial.
As previously reported, the town board opted in May to reschedule the Independence Day fireworks, traditionally launched from Avalon Pier, to Sept. 5 during the Labor Day holiday weekend, due to crowd gathering restrictions in place as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and also to save money from what would be a pricey cancellation fee if the display was cancelled outright.
Kill Devil Hills’ $25,000 fireworks contract (paid for in part by a grant from the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau) includes no fee for rescheduling for later in the calendar year, as long as the vendor is notified no later than 30 days before the contacted date (currently Sept. 5), but there would be a $5,025 fee if the fireworks display was postponed into 2021, or there would be an $8,375 fee if the it were to be cancelled completely with no intent to reschedule in 2021.
At the town board’s most recent meeting, on July 13, the the four commissioners who were present, with Mayor Ben Sproul absent, discussed various options and came to a general consensus that if North Carolina has not moved into Phase 3 of reopening by the 30-day deadline on August 5, town staff would then be authorized to notify the vendor about rescheduling the fireworks for a later date in December. New Year’s Eve was mentioned as a possibility, but the majority of the commissioners seemed more in favor of the Dec. 17 anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight in what is now the town of Kill Devil Hills as being the new date for the fireworks display.
Less than 24 hours after the town meeting, on July 14, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper extended the state’s current “Safer At Home” Phase 2 of reopening for at least another three weeks, until August 7, at which time the situation will be readdressed and an announcement will be made as to what comes next.
Cooper’s Phase 2 extension means the town will now most likely reschedule the “Independence Day’ fireworks display to take place on the 117th anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight on Thursday, December 17, 2020.
_______________________________
