There was a time just four short years ago when the City of Saint Paul had a public fireworks display for all to enjoy. Those days are gone but we have the memories and pictures of fireworks at the State Capital and over the Mississippi River.
The mayor announced yesterday that there will be no fireworks this year because the city has other budget priorities (we are broke). In recent years they have been launched from Lowertown ballpark where few people could see them. I had hoped that tradition would end and happy that the city is no longer paying for the hidden display that few could enjoy.
There will be plenty of illegal fireworks over the holiday. It will be noisy and dangerous as it always is in St. Paul. It is a day when dogs hide under the bed and children should stay inside. If you have someplace to go for the day, go there.
July 4th is also a day of national celebration. Towns all around us have parades, celebrations, and beautiful public fireworks displays. It is a day for picnics, barbeque grills, family, and swimming.
St. Paul is not a pleasant place to spend the July 4th holiday, it really never has been. Most people prefer to spend it at the lake. We can blame the mayor but it isn’t his fault. He inherited the mess. Maybe under his leadership, we will celebrate independence day with the rest of the country and use it as an opportunity to bring people into the city instead of scaring them away.
