How much does it cost to put on a fireworks show in McHenry County?

Municipalities in and around McHenry County are spending thousands of dollars on fireworks for Fourth of July celebrations this year.

The following is a breakdown of what each show costs and where the money comes from.

McHenry

McHenry's fireworks show will be July 6 at Petersen Park, 4300 Peterson Park Road. This year's show costs the city $15,000, said Bill Hobson, director of parks and recreation. The city uses a 5% tax on hotel and motel rooms to cover the cost of events, such as this one.

The fireworks show is the most heavily attended event of the year, Hobson said. Attendance at the park alone is between 5,000 to 6,000 people and brings the community together, he said.

Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake’s fireworks show will be at dusk Sunday at Main Beach, 300 Lakeshore Drive. The fireworks are worth a total of $55,000. The city spent $30,000, and it received $25,000 in donations for the show, Deputy City Manager Eric Helm said.

Cary

The Cary Park District will hold a concert and fireworks show Wednesday at Lions Park, 1200 Silver Lake Road. Fireworks will be at dusk, and the show cost $9,900 this year, Superintendent of Recreation Erica Hall said. The show started in 2010, and typically runs about 20 minutes.

Fox River Grove

Fox River Grove will be having its Rock the River Celebration at 2:30 p.m Saturday at Picnic Grove Park, 598 Birch Lane. The village annually budgets $9,000 for fireworks. It also takes donations from businesses, and individual donations are given when residents pay for their vehicle stickers or in collection jars placed around town, office assistant Sarah Kovarik said. The food vendors also give half of their profits back for the next year's celebration. The village has received $2,000 in donations this year.

Huntley

The village of Huntley is spending about $20,000 this year for fireworks, Assistant Village Manager Lisa Armour said. The show will be at 9:30 p.m. Thursday at Deicke Park, 11419 Route 47.

About 1,028 residents of Huntley responded to a survey in 2018. When asked about the importance of community events, 85% of respondents said events were important or very important, according to the village of Huntley Resident Survey 2018.

“Our residents appreciate and value the opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate these various events, and we understand their importance to the community," Armour said.

Woodstock

Woodstock’s fireworks will be at dusk Thursday at Emricson Park, 1313 Kishwaukee Valley Road. Woodstock has a contract with Mad Bomber for $16,000 this year for its fireworks display. Typically in the past the city has spent $14,000 on shows, but this year it has a little left over from a $5,000 donation from two years ago,event organizerJim Campion said.

The display is completely funded by donations. Businesses typically account for $7,000. Parking at the event is $8 a car and usually raises about $4,500, while walk-ins raise about $2,000 and food vendors raise about $900, Campion said. This all covers the cost of the show, which brings in about 5,000 to 6,000 people.

Spring Grove

Spring Grove’s show will cost $23,000, said Kelly Popelka, president of the Spring Grove Fourth of July committee. Donations for the show are collected the year before. The show will last about 25 minutes and is done by Pistakee Bay Fireworks. The show will be Thursday at Horse Fair Park, 8105 Blivin St.

Fox Lake

Fox Lake's fireworks show cost $40,000 this year. The show was Saturday. The village funds the show, said Laura Linehan, assistant to the village administrator.

The fireworks were shot off a barge in the lake and lasted close to 30 minutes. The show brings in about 2,000 people.

The fireworks are very important to the community, Linehan said. The show helps with tourism and bringing in people from the surrounding areas to show what Fox Lake has to offer, such as new murals and infrastructure.

Johnsburg

Johnsburg's fireworks show will be at dusk on Saturday, July 6 at the Oak Park Lounge, 801 Oak Grove Road. The show will cost $20,000 and is paid for by a variety of fundraisers that started in February, event organizer Don Fuchs said. The show will be about 30 minutes this year and is being put on by RKM Fireworks.

Marengo

Marengo's fireworks show was at dusk Saturday. The show was put on by F/X Lasers and Pyrotechnics LLC. and cost $6,600, according to the contract with F/X. The show is funded by donations that are collected before and during the event, including a 50/50 raffle that will take place at the show.

Wonder Lake

The village of Wonder Lake donated $800 to the Wonder Lake Chamber of Commerce to help pay for the fireworks show this year. The show will be done by Mad Bomber and will be at dusk Saturday over the lake. The fireworks will be launched from a barge between West Bay and Center Beach.

The cost of the whole event, including fireworks, entertainment and portable toilets, is $20,000, Lance Kennedy, Chamber of Commerce treasurer, said. Funds come from private donations through sponsors and residents and from street corner collections conducted Saturdays.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the date of McHenry and Johnsburg's fireworks. Both city's fireworks shows will be held on Saturday, July 6.