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Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
No more fireworks? Big change coming to 4th of July at Pasadena's Rose Bowl
Marking the end of a longtime tradition, the Fourth of July celebration at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena will not feature a fireworks show this year. Instead, there will be a drone show. The move comes as some venues have switched from fireworks to drone shows — in which a fleet of drones performs a choreographed light show — to celebrate the 4th of July. But drone shows have fallen flat for some. Notably Redondo Beach and Laguna Beach switched back to fireworks after trying out drone shows, and some promoters of fireworks shows have voiced criticism over efforts to transition to drone shows. For Pasadena, it's a big change — the Rose Bowl Independence Day fireworks show was touted as one of the largest in the region, and was viewable not only in the stadium but also the surrounding area. A soccer match preceded the fireworks show on the last two July 4th holidays. Before that, the Rose Bowl fireworks were the highlight of the decades-old AmericaFest celebration, but AmericaFest ended following substantial financial losses, according to news reports. Other than the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, 'this is the first time in many, many years — I've been here 23 years — and this is first year where we will have no fireworks at the Rose Bowl,' Pasadena city spokesperson Lisa Derderian said at a news briefing Wednesday. 'There will be a drone show. If you attend the event, you won't be able to see it from outside the Rose Bowl area.' In a further change, there won't be a soccer match this year at the Rose Bowl on Independence Day. A Galaxy-LAFC match was held in 2023 and 2024. Instead, the venue will host the food-and-entertainment festival FoodieLand. Derderian urged people not to head to the area surrounding the Rose Bowl, unless they have a ticket for FoodieLand. The change comes amid concerns about fireworks causing unhealthful air. The South Coast Air Quality Management District has previously said pollution levels of fine particles soar on July 4 and 5 — the worst of the year. Fireworks shows remain a staple in other parts of California, including in San Diego and San Francisco. But in Long Beach, this year may be the last Big Bang on the Bay fireworks show. The California Coastal Commission approved a permit for the event on May 9 with a major proviso. From 2026 to 2029, the 20-minute pyrotechnic display, which launches from a barge in Alamitos Bay, will be dropped in favor of a drone show. 'This year could be the final year of fireworks over the bay,' said the event's website, which says the event raises money for nonprofits that benefit Long Beach's youth. Big Bang on the Bay has been held annually since 2011, after the city of Long Beach ended fireworks displays at Veterans Stadium in north Long Beach, according to a Coastal Commission staff report. In its presentation, commission staff said birds were disturbed during past fireworks displays and that 'a recent study concluded that fireworks can result in nest abandonment, caused fledging birds to fall out of nests, and cause birds to experience disrupted sleep and increased distress, vigilance and fear.' Staff also expressed concerns about fireworks debris landing in the environment and concluded that 'a drone show would result in fewer adverse environmental impacts.' John Morris, the organizer of the event and a restaurant owner, told commissioners at the May 9 meeting he was skeptical that the community would be as willing to donate significant money for future drone shows. 'I just have the mindset, I'm a fireworks guy. And I raised the money from all the houses around the bay,' Morris said at the meeting. 'I got 300 houses around the bay to write checks. ... Will half of them write a check for drones? I don't know. If this is what it means, I'll try it.' But he noted that both Redondo Beach and Laguna Beach returned to fireworks after trying out drone shows. 'I love watching a drone show,' he said. 'I've seen a couple of them. They're great, but they're not July 4th.' Justin Cummings, the chair of the Coastal Commission during the May meeting, said that drone shows' emergence indicate they are a feasible alternative to fireworks. 'We are seeing drone shows pop up all over the country, and they're really demonstrating to be a successful alternative to fireworks,' Cummings, also a Santa Cruz County supervisor, said at the meeting. Cummings' tenure on the commission ended after the May meeting. Commissioners asked to be informed of any drop in financial support for the 2026 drone show as compared to previous fireworks shows. San Diego's Big Bay Boom has received permission from the Coastal Commission to continue with fireworks shows this year and in 2026 — which happens to be the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But commissioners in February required the organizers of the show to do a study of transitioning to drone shows or other alternatives to fireworks for 2027 and beyond. Coastal Commission staff said during last year's San Diego fireworks, California least terns and their fledglings became agitated and left their nest to run or fly; staff also said fireworks debris can impair water quality and that wildlife may entangle themselves in the debris, or ingest it. In the meantime, the Port of San Diego — one of the sponsors of the Big Bay Boom — has agreed to reduce the annual maximum weight of fireworks that can be launched this year from fireworks shows launched from the waters of San Diego Bay. Current Port of San Diego rules rules allow for up to 47 total fireworks shows over the course of a year, utilizing up to 9,056 pounds of fireworks, Coastal Commission staff said at the panel's February meeting. The port has agreed to reduce that annual weight total by 15% this year, representing a reduction of 1,358 pounds. The cap will be reduced by another 5% for 2026. 'All reduction will be from fireworks shows launched from coastal waters, as those are more impactful to water quality than shows launched from land,' according to commission staff. However, there were an average of 18 fireworks shows a year in San Diego Bay between 2021 and 2024 — far lower than the maximum number of shows allowed. Nevertheless, commission staff called the port's planned reduction in the cap of fireworks that can be launched from the water 'a good faith effort to lessen the impacts of fireworks in San Diego Bay and shift away from regular fireworks shows.' Times staff writer Karen Garcia contributed to this report.
Los Angeles Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Costa Mesa Arts Commission tests its power, as authority of citizen-led groups is disputed
When a city appoints citizens to serve on municipal commissions and committees, what rights and responsibilities do those individuals have to inform policy, make recommendations to city leaders and to generally get things done? That point is being pondered in Costa Mesa, the self-proclaimed City of the Arts, where some council members this week sought further clarity after learning about a dispute on the subject between arts commissioners and staff. Upon reviewing the city's arts budget during a May 1 meeting, commissioners recommended shifting $160,000 from a large-scale art installation fund to a public-private mural initiative that would support the painting of historical scenes on participating local businesses. Vice Chair Fisher Derderian, who proposed the motion, explained it would be a more immediate way of getting eye-catching art into public places, particularly if businesses chipped in to cover a portion of the expense. Historical murals would also be a fitting way to celebrate Costa Mesa's rich and storied past, while positioning the city for federal arts grants aimed at honoring America250, the nation's bisesquicentennial, in 2026, Derderian reasoned. 'We have to be ambitious. We have to have a vision that says let's get art out there tomorrow, if at all possible,' he said at the meeting. 'I don't think there's any reason we couldn't at least propose this as part of the budget and then, if it gets approved, really flesh out what the idea would be.' The move, which passed in a 4-2 vote, is more than a mere recommendation. It's a test of the civic reach of the Arts Commission, established in 2022 to function as its own legislative body, compared to the erstwhile advisory-only Cultural Arts Committee. The vote followed a discussion between commissioners and Director of Parks & Community Services Brian Gruner, who oversees the panel, regarding the roles and responsibilities of the group and its power to seek new funding sources and create public art programs. Derderian asked Gruner to clarify whether the commission could form a subcommittee to discuss incorporating art in future public works projects or displaying it on city-owned buildings. Or maybe the commission could call a study session or make a motion to the City Council to hold a discussion at a higher level? The answer was, essentially, no. 'We'd have to have a discussion and dialogue, and connect with [then-City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison] first and see what the recommendation would be from her,' Gruner responded. Costa Mesa municipal code seems to state otherwise, specifying the commission shall: '...by its own motion, conduct studies and investigations and hold public hearings as it may deem necessary for the formulation of policies, plans and procedures relating to arts, or to determine the wisdom and efficacy of such policies, plans and procedures, or to determine an action plan to pursue in implementing the city's arts and culture master plan and report its findings and recommendations.' When asked about the rights described in the legislation, Gruner said he could request the city clerk hold a training session for commissioners on how to properly interpret the law. Instead, Derderian took a different course. During a discussion on the city's arts budget later on, he made a motion recommending $100,000 in a previously approved art-installation fund, and an additional $60,000 in the new budget cycle, be repurposed for the historical mural initiative. The motion carried on a 4-2 vote. And, just like that, the Costa Mesa Arts Commission took a first tentative step toward independence. Derderian said in a follow-up interview he reviewed the city's municipal code after hearing public comments — particularly from Jim Fitzpatrick, a former planning commissioner-turned-cannabis consultant and vocal City Hall critic — indicating the commission had more power than it was being allowed to exercise. 'There's a real question as to what we're supposed to be doing and how we fulfill that purpose,' Derderian said Wednesday. 'We're developing precedent in trying to understand what our role is.' Although it's unknown whether the Costa Mesa City Council will approve the commission's recommendation, it seems city leaders are open to exploring the power of citizen-led municipal groups. Councilman Jeff Pettis said during a regular council meeting Tuesday commissioners should feel empowered to carry out the duties defined in the municipal code. 'I do not believe the Arts Commission is functioning to its full capacity,' Pettis said. 'I'm going to be watching every minute of every Arts Commission meeting going forward to ensure they are being able to function within their role as commissioners to their highest level of authority.' Councilman Mike Buley asked whether a council study session might be convened to clarify the responsibilities of the groups. 'We've got citizens donating an extensive amount of their time,' he said. 'A lot of them are very skilled and knowledgeable in their specific areas, and it's a resource we should rely upon. They should be given a citizen voice in what we do in this community.'
