Red, White and Blue Ash, the region’s largest July 4 celebration, will return for 2021 as a fireworks display only.
The event had been canceled entirely in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizer Brian Kruse, who leads Blue Ash Parks and Recreation, said in December 2020 the city planned to bring it back “as the State of Ohio will allow and in a way that will be safe and positive for the community.”
In 2021, with about 40% of Ohioans vaccinated and COVID-19 variants presenting new danger to unvaccinated people, that means bringing back the lightshow but eschewing the thousands-strong gathering that typically accompanies it.
“After such a challenging year due to COVID-19, the City is thrilled to be getting back to some of our roots with a series of well-thought-out and adapted summer events,” Kruse wrote in a Wednesday news release. “We aren’t completely back to normal in regards to full-scale events, but we hope that bringing back elements like the Red, White & Blue Ash fireworks show, and altering some of our additional programs to current guidelines, will help bring some much-needed joy to residents and families in Blue Ash and across the Tri-State region.”
Other summer events, including the city’s Summer Concert Series and Blue Ash Farmers Market, will continue with COVID-19 safety measures in place. The city’s summer calendar is available online.
