Joliet July 3-4 fireworks: Bicentennial Park canceled; stadium show still on

Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park has canceled its July 3 fireworks show, but plans are still on for the Fourth of July fireworks at Memorial Stadium.

Joliet often gets two nights of fireworks between the two festivities.

But that has since changed with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bicentennial Park opted against the show in part because of the crowds that typically come to the park for fireworks, said park Manager Lori Carmine.

Park management announced this week that July 3 fireworks are off.

"We held off as long as we could to see if could close the park and still have the fireworks," Carmine said.

That turned out not to be an option.

Opening the park would have put staff in the position of trying to enforce social distancing.

Meanwhile, the Memorial Stadium show, which many people view from their homes, the streets and other locations outside the stadium, is moving ahead.

The committee that organizes the show each year is raising money through donations and a special event next week.

A fundraiser is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at The Dock at Inwood, 3000 W. Jefferson St.

"We're moving forward," said Jen Howard, president of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The chamber does not organize the fireworks, but it does have a representative on the community committee that does.

Some towns have called off Fourth of July fireworks because of COVID-19 restrictions.

"We're very hopeful," Howard said. "The community definitely needs some positive and celebratory events."