Independence Day is less than four months away and the city of Gustine has plans to continue its decade-long partnership with a fireworks company for its Fourth of July fireworks show following a unanimous vote from the city council last Tuesday.
The meeting revolved around discussions from council members and city staff about whether the city should continue its partnership with Pyro Spectaculars, an American Pyrotechnics and Fireworks company that specializes in firework displays, due to increased cost and the lack of donations in recent years. According to the agenda item’s staff report, the show has seen an increase of $500 - $1000 annually within the past several years due to rising equipment costs and inflation. The city saw a loss of $11,295.97 in the previous fiscal year, a $2,246.19 increase from the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The Tip Top Community Contribution Fund has subsidized the losses in each of the last two fiscal years.
The staff report also mentioned that city staff explored alternative options other than Pyro Spectaculars. Those options include adjusting the show length and budget, exploring a drone/firework show combination and a Request for Proposals (RFP) Process with an estimated 30-day advertisement period.
With the city continuing its partnership with Pyro Spectaculars, the price of this year’s show will be the same as last year's at $24,250, with half of the cost funded towards the show’s production. Additionally, the production will include 15 2.5-inch Souza Designer Opening Salutes, 592 2.5-inch, 3-inch and 4-inch Souza Designer Selections Aerial Shells and 207 2.5-inch and 3-inch bombardment shells for the show’s finale.
The Fourth of July fireworks show will be held at the North Field of Gustine High School baseball field at 9:15 p.m.
The staff report also mentioned that the city has seen a decrease in donations towards the fireworks show. After Gustine recorded $25,215.55 in fireworks donations in FY 2022, the city has seen a significant decline in donations in the following two years. According to Gustine’s FY 2025 Adopted Budget, the city received $17,535.48 and $13,090.00 in fireworks donations in FY 2023 and FY 2024, respectively.
Mayor Patrick Nagy voiced his concerns about the lack of donations the city has received in recent years, bringing up the idea of a club that would raise the money for the event.
“We send out letters and waste all this money sending these mailers out that everybody looks at and throws it in their garbage can,” Nagy said. “If this was taken over by a club that had to raise the money or there would be no show, you get people donating again, I believe.”
Tiffany Vitorino, the city’s recreation manager, said the city usually raises around $8,000 - $9,000 through mail-ins.
Nagy also proposed the idea of working with Gustine’s neighboring city in Newman, which is a five-minute drive from one another, mentioning that one of the two cities can host the event one year and the other city can host it the following year.
“I know there [are] a lot of people from Newman that come over here (Gustine) for our fireworks show. I see them every year,” Nagy said. “Maybe we work with the city of Newman and have the fireworks [show] in Newman one year and Gustine the next. Maybe we split the cost, maybe they (Newman) help us with the cost. I don’t know what the answer is, I’m throwing some ideas out there.”
City Manager Soknirorn Than said the city staff will look into possible fundraising and volunteer opportunities for future iterations of the event.
Navtej Hundal is a freelance journalist in Stanislaus County.
