Longport will have its fireworks display after all.
LONGPORT – Contributors have come through with donations exceeding the amount needed to pay for the borough’s annual Labor Day weekend fireworks display. The display had been in jeopardy of not happening this year, due to a lack of funding received by the time the borough had to sign a $12,200 contract with the pyrotechnics vendor.
According to a letter from Mayor Nicholas Russo posted on the borough’s website Friday morning, the borough has received donations exceeding the amount needed, and the additional funding will be reserved for next year’s show.
“We received about $1,000 more than we needed and that will be earmarked for next year,” Russo said Friday morning.
The borough has traditionally accepted funds from residents to pay for the fireworks display, but this year, the borough lost some funders. Early on, the borough received a $5,000 contribution from a resident and $1,000 from the Volunteer Fire Department and Russo requested the remaining funding from the Longport Public Library Board, which was denied. The borough had planned to use funding in a recreation line item to bolster contributions, but those funds will no longer be needed, Russo said.
“It is being totally funded by the community,” he said. “We received contributions from people who live in Mullica Hill, Linwood and Philadelphia.”
Russo said the borough might consider a different date for next year’s end-of-summer celebration and establish a stable funding mechanism.
“Going forward, we need to find a better way. Things change over time, and we have to change with it,” Russo said previously.
The fireworks display will be held at 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3, and the cannons will blast off from the beach between 33rd and 34th avenues.
The beach in that area will be off limits to sunbathers all day Saturday to allow time for the vendor to set up, Russo said.
“This spirit of generosity is indicative of how we visualize small town America,” Russo said. “We hope everyone enjoys the show.”
