Montclair was not able to score $10,000 and repeat last year’s win in the Liberty Mutual Bring Back the 4th grants. The towns/cities that won are listed here. We’re still having a parade — thanks to privately raised funds and support of Montclair Celebrates — but Pat Brechka, director of Recreation & Cultural Affairs, tells us that another 6,000 needs to be raised in order to have the fireworks.
“Montclair State picked up the tab for overtime security and clean up after the fireworks, but we’ve just learned they are not able to do it again this year, and these are costs we didn’t anticipate,” says Brechka.
Of the fund-raising effort so far, Brechka says that “donations aren’t as big as they’ve been in past years, but there has been this wonderful outpouring of people giving small donations — senior citizens, people who have moved away but remember the celebration and are sending in $10 and $25.”
If you want to donate, send a check, made out to Montclair Celebrates, and mail to: Montclair Celebrates, 550 Valley Road, PO Box 143, Montclair, NJ 07043.
Does Montclair NEED to put on a July 4th fireworks display, when Essex County puts on a great fireworks display and band performance in Brookdale Park every year?
Has anyone asked joe D. whether the county can do the Brookdale fireworks on July 4? Then Montclair will have fireworks on July 4.
You can’t win ‘em all.
Montclair’s population is about 37,000. In order to save the fireworks I propose a 2 cent/person one time tax. Call it the ‘Two Cent Fireworks Campaign.’
Come on folks, dig deep for those pennies. Do it for the children.
Parades like this and fireworks display are good for the town. It brings people to ‘main street’ to shop , eat and see what Montclair has to offer. Businesses are constantly hit up for little league sponsorships, programs adds, donations an so on so it’s important that residents support them when they can. Lets hope this all works out.