July 4 fireworks show in peril
Fire Marshal investigates contracted company
LANCASTER — There might be no professional fireworks show in the Valley, this Fourth of July.
The city of Lancaster announced, Tuesday evening, that it might have to cancel the planned July Fourth Fireworks Extravaganza at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, as the company contracted for the show is under investigation for alleged illegal activity by the state Fire Marshal.
According to the city’s announcement, the state Fire Marshal raided a warehouse owned by the vendor, Exposhows Inc., in Mojave, on Saturday.
The city is awaiting further details from the Fire Marshal, City Manager Jason Caudle said, Wednesday.
“We’re assuming the worst,” he said.
The show has not yet been officially canceled, while city officials await information from the Fire Marshal, he said. That information and notice could come, today or Friday.
Messages to the Fire Marshal’s office were not returned by press time, Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the city is looking for other options for the show, but officials are not optimistic about securing one in time for Monday’s event.
“We went to Arizona, Nevada — everything we could under our control,” Caudle said.
About eight or nine other cities that contracted with Exposhows are also scrambling to find another fireworks vendor on very short notice.
“Those other cities are in the same boat we are,” he said.
Those who purchased tickets for grandstand seating and parking will be refunded, Caudle said. Those sales are handled by the Fairgrounds.
This is the first time the city has dealt with a cancelation
like this so close to the show.
“I think it’s pretty rare, statewide,” he said.
A message left with the Santa Monica-based company was not returned, Wednesday.
Lancaster has contracted with Exposhows for about three years, Caudle said.
This is apparently not the first time the company has left a city without a fireworks show at the last minute. According to a report in the Riverside Press-Enterprise, the city of Riverside fired the firm, last year, after it canceled a show in La Sierra, on the afternoon of July 4, 2021. The company reportedly canceled as it lacked the necessary labor and other resources to complete the show.
The city terminated the $198,000 four-year contract that was to run, through 2024, and sought to recoup more than $9,000 in costs to the city for preparing for the canceled show.
Lancaster will also seek to recoup its costs from the cancellation. “We’re not very happy,” Caudle said. The fireworks show was a joint effort between the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale, with both cities contributing to the cost.
Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer was also awaiting more information about the investigation.
“The state Fire Marshal doesn’t play games,” he said.
As part of an agreement to rotate fireworks shows between the two cities, Palmdale plans to hold a Fireworks Celebration at the Palmdale Amphitheater, on Sept. 3.
In May, the Palmdale City Council approved a three-year contract with Garden State Fireworks, for $126,000 for the three years, with two one-year options.