CINCINNATI — For over 50 years, families have made the trek to Ault Park to celebrate the nation's birthday with a festival and fireworks, but organizers announced to the city in January they don't believe the event can continue without help.
Cincinnati Parks announced the news to the public in March, sparking discussion over what could be done to solve the problems facing the decades-long tradition. The issues at hand highlighted by event organizers are a lack of adequate security availability each year to guarantee safety and success, and a lack of time to sufficiently fundraise since the event is staffed by volunteers with limited free time and energy.
During a city council meeting on Wednesday, City Manager Sheryl Long presented possible solutions to council on what the city could do to stop the event's cancellation.
The report written by Long included in the agenda packet for Wednesday's meeting lays out three ways in which Cincinnati Parks hosts events within park properties:
- As a rental: Organizers can rent park spaces and pay for support services, while fully running and staffing the entire event themselves. This is the case with festivals like Riverfest, Black Family Reunion, Oktoberfest, the Flying Pig Marathon, Pride and many smaller events, like shorter races and neighborhood-specific events.
- By partnering with Cincinnati Parks: The parks department works with community organizers in this capacity to help produce it, including helping with staffing, cleaning, entertainment, promotion, equipment or electrical services with no charge to organizers. This is how events like Springfest in Burnet Woods, Trailfest in Mt. Airy Forest, the Pumpkin Chuck in Stanbery Park and other, smaller events are executed.
- Produced fully by Cincinnati Parks: The department has a limited staff and budget for some events that are produced completely by Cincinnati Parks. This is the case for events like the All-American Birthday Bash, which is Cincinnati's own July 4th celebration, Piatt Park acoustic lunches, or the Amped Up Concert series.
Until this year, the Ault Park Fireworks festivities fell under the second category, with organizers operating independently of the city in their efforts to fundraise, plan and execute the event and Cincinnati Parks serving in a support role. That support role included the provision of Ault Park for free and roughly $3,700 contributed for temporary fencing, clean up and the live music costs, the report says.
In exchange, the city received permit fees from organizers totaling roughly $1,395; those fees cover off-duty Cincinnati Police Department officers, safety inspections and event fees.
Now, moving forward, Long highlighted three possible paths that Ault Park Fireworks organizers and city officials could take in order for the event to continue:
- Community members solve the issue themselves by coming together "to resume producing the event, effectively forming an Ault Parks Fireworks Organizing Committee" with Cincinnati Parks continuing to operate as a partner. The report says following the cancellation announcement, Cincinnati Parks heard from community members who expressed interest in being involved. Long highlights this options as "the most sustainable path forward" because it continues what event planners have done for over 50 years.
- Cincinnati Parks self-produces the event with its own staff. The report says if this becomes the path taken, "this would de facto become the location for a City hosted and sponsored 4th of July event," which likely means the All-American Birthday Bash held each year at Sawyer Point would no longer happen. If this is the route chosen, the city will also need to allocated funding for the event, which the report estimates would cost around $32,495 and require commitment from CPD that officers would be available in adequate amounts. This is because Parks staff wouldn't have the bandwidth to fundraise for the event like the community has in the past, according to the report.
- A hybrid solution that involves the community stepping forward to take on fundraising efforts to support the event, while Cincinnati Parks takes over producing the fireworks. Under this option, CPD support is still necessary, the report says.
The report also points out the second option, which would effectively replace Cincinnati's annual fireworks show with the Ault Park Fireworks event, is not as equitable an option, since the All-American Birthday Bash at Sawyer Point is more centrally located and serves the entire community in a way the Ault Park event could not.
"In thinking through City sponsored event selection, consideration should be given to ensuring residents from across the city have the opportunity to participate," reads the report.
No specific decision was made by council on Wednesday; the issue will likely go before a council committee in the future.
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