SALISBURY – Red, White and Boom’s fourth year bringing a 4th of July fireworks show to Salisbury was the most successful yet, according to organizers.
“We started from nothing four years ago, and we now have in place an extraordinary public-private model of success in Red, White and Boom,” Mike Dunn of Red, White and Boom said before the City Council on Monday evening, as he gave thanks to everyone involved. “The City of Salisbury and Mayor [Jim] Ireton got all this started by saying ‘yes’ four years ago, and the City Council followed that up by making a monetary contribution in the budget, and you are continuing that as the largest single sponsor.”
This year, and in years past the City of Salisbury committed $9,000 to Red, White and Boom, as well as $1,000 to the endowment fund, and for the first time this year Red, White and Boom received private sponsorships. In June, it received $5,000 from Robinson’s Family of Businesses and $5,000 from Pohanka of Salisbury.
“On the 4th of July rain came through around 5:30 [p.m.] and in my little corner of the world I thought the world was going to end but I learned a really important thing, which is guess what, people will show up on the 5th, and they did,” Dunn said of this year’s fireworks show. “It was wonderful.”
According to Dunn, organizers raised nearly $40,000 this year as their endowment fund with the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore has reached about $20,000.
“One of the reasons why I got involved with the council was my frustration with the way things were, and I saw that we were a community that couldn’t even agree in supporting its own fireworks show, and so it was a devastating lack of proud,” said Council President Jake Day, who presented Dunn with a Certificate of Appreciation. “I am very proud now to say we are a partner in this process, and very grateful that you have found other partners in this process. We want to say thank you too.”
For many years the Salisbury Jaycees provided a fireworks show celebrating 4th of July in Salisbury. However, in 2005 the organization was unable to continue to provide the service, and residents were left traveling to other areas to watch fireworks until in 2011 Dunn, a former council member, decided it was time to bring fireworks back to Salisbury.
Red, White and Boom is a combination of vendors, food trucks, family fun and of course a fireworks show. Over the years, the event has been held at different locations with the Wicomico County Stadium hosting last month’s show.