Colusa fireworks show a no-go this year

The COVID-19 pandemic has canceled a lot of community events in recent months, and while things are opening back up, it looks like that list is about to get a little longer with the addition of the annual Fourth of July fireworks show in Colusa, according to Tom Reische, Colusa city council member and — since 2011 — de facto fundraising coordinator for the show.

“Unless someone steps up to help it doesn’t look like there is going to be a show,” said Reische. “There are so many other fundraisers right now due to the pandemic for things that are more worthwhile and I didn’t want to take away from that.”

In the first year of the event, Reische – then mayor – solicited donations for a fireworks show that was unlikely to happen without adequate funding, according to archives. Reische made a few phone calls and ultimately raised $12,000 in a 24-hour window to get the show back on track.

Each year since, he has reached out to the community and local businesses to raise the now $16,000 needed to keep the show going, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Reische said he hasn't gone through the trouble of generating the necessary revenue this year.

Although Reische said he could probably raise up to $5,000 with a few phone calls, his biggest concern this year, should the money be raised, is that a show would not be allowed to happen at the Colusa County Fairgrounds due to current state restrictions on large gatherings.

“They've really got their thumb on them so I don't even know if we'd have authorization to do it at the fairgrounds,” said Reische.