Donations mean show will go on

Sparks in the Park, Texarkana’s traditional Independence Day celebration, will happen this year after all, thanks in part to a donation from Cooper Tire and Rubber Co., officials announced last week.

Organizer Townsquare Media Texarkana announced earlier this month that the event was canceled because the company had run out of time to find ways to pay for it. Sparks in the Park’s centerpiece fireworks show carries a price of at least $15,000, no sponsor had been found, and Townsquare itself would not pay for the show because of liability concerns.

But a pair of contributions have rescued the event while keeping admission free.

Last Monday, the Texarkana Advertising and Promotion Commission allocated $7,500 to the city Parks Department to spend on the fireworks.

Cooper Tire will contribute $7,500 to pay for the other half, according to Townsquare Media Senior Account Executive Andi Darby and an A&P Commission news release.

The annual event draws more than 1,000 people.