Wausau Fireworks

Fireworks on the Fourth: Fizzled again!

Fireworks

Fireworks

For the fourth consecutive year, hundreds of people who trekked to Wausau’s annual 4th of July celebration at Marathon Park left disappointed after winds created a safety hazard that canceled the fireworks show.

Fireworks have been held at Marathon Park on July 4 for more than 60 years, but the latest cancellation has many in the city calling for a change of venue. The planned display included shells that would explode 300 feet in the air, posing possible safety concerns for people in the grandstand and neighborhood, according to city officials.

The Wausau Fire Department said it will work with Wausau Area 4th of July, Inc., organizers of the annual event, to look for solutions to minimize the possibility of cancellation. That could include a change of venue or smaller shells.

“The priority of the Wausau Fire Department is the safety of our citizens and visitors; therefore we followed the advice of the fireworks specialist to cancel the fireworks,” a news release read. “A decision to do so is never taken lightly given the significance of the occasion; however, public safety is always the driving factor for any fireworks display.