An Open Letter To St. Cloud Fireworks Organizers

St. Cloud Fireworks Organizers,

First and foremost, I wanted to just say thank you.  Right now, organizing this event must feel pretty thankless with so many Debbie Downers criticizing this year's show. However, I don't believe those people speak for the majority of us who enjoyed the show and appreciate the effort.

I cannot imagine how much year-round work it must take to get these fireworks in the air every summer. Raising funds, making sure the event is covered legally, organizing hundreds of volunteers and sponsors, keeping thousands of people safe before, during and after the event... heck, it would be easier to just say 'forget it,' like so many other cities have in recent years.

WEATHER CHALLENGES 

On top of that, when the big day finally came, you dealt with some truly difficult weather conditions just hours before the start of the big show! Massive rainfall, pea-sized hail and heavy winds pelted the area and, most importantly, the equipment that had been set up for the pyrotechnic display.

Finally, just as the show was about to begin, there was a delay for a LifeLink helicopter to land nearby at St. Cloud Hospital that lasted about 15 minutes. Updates were sent about the delay via social media, which was great as we were afraid we chose a spot where we couldn't see the show!

When the show began, the fireworks were spectacular as always! However, the show was cut a little short due to some unseen damage to the fireworks from the previous storm and there was no 'grand finale.'

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE ST. CLOUD FIREWORKS DISPLAY

St. Cloud Fireworks committee took to Facebook to explain what happened in a lengthy post:

We are just as disappointed as many of you are.

Not because we didn't plan.

Not because we didn't care.

Not because we didn't show up.

Not because we didn't invest the time or the money.

We are disappointed because after months of preparation, Mother Nature had a different plan.

Many have asked why the fireworks did not perform as expected.

Our fireworks are fired in multiple sections throughout the show. The

Grand Finale was its own separate firing section, and unfortunately that

portion sustained damage during the severe weather.

There was simply no way to know which sections would successfully ignite and which would not until they were fired. We performed every test we safely could without unintentionally setting off the entire display. Unfortunately, the damaged Grand finale simply would not light.

Although several people were quick to go to social media with their trademark outrage and anger, I didn't see it that way.

THANK YOU ST CLOUD 

First of all, my kids had a great time watching the show. They didn't know or realize it was shorter than normal or that there was no 'finale.' They had a normal, fun time staying up late and watching the fireworks. To me, that is the most important thing: did the kids have fun?

As a parent, it is invaluable to have something like this so close to home. I wouldn't enjoy the holiday as much with two little ones if I had to drive 20-30 minutes to see the Fourth of July fireworks every year!

Not only have other cities permanently canceled their holiday fireworks displays over the years due to costs or other reasons, several Minnesota towns were forced to punt on their displays over the weekend due to the weather. I applaud the City of St. Cloud for pushing forward and doing the best they can.

We are getting to a point where it is harder and harder to find fun, free and family-friendly events in the area. I appreciate the effort the St. Cloud fireworks team put forth this year and I am already looking forward to next year!