Canfield Fair Board Steps In to Continue July 4 Fireworks

CANFIELD, Ohio – Looking forward to a big fireworks show this Fourth of July? Your options are scant.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, just about every one of the many fireworks shows in Mahoning Valley municipalities – including the city of Youngstown – have been canceled.

The two fireworks shows remaining on the schedule are at the Canfield Fairgrounds and the Trumbull County Fairgrounds.

The Canfield fireworks almost didn’t happen.

That city’s annual Fourth of July Parade and foot race were canceled. As a result, the local Rotary Club – which was to present the fireworks show at the fairgrounds – also backed out. That’s when the Canfield Fair board of directors stepped in.

With the help of seven corporate sponsors, the board saw to it that the annual July 4 fireworks show at the fairgrounds would go on.

Gates will open at 8 p.m. that day, with the first boom going off between 9:45 p.m. and 10 p.m. Admission will be $10 per carload and there will be fair food vendors set up on the grounds.

Guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs or blankets to the grassy fairgrounds but must maintain at least six feet of distance from other groups of people. After parking, they can enter the fairgrounds through Gates 2, 5, 8 or 9.

“We have plenty of parking lots and green space that will allow the attendees to spread out,” said fair board spokeswoman Bergen Giordani.

George Roman, entertainment director for the Canfield Fairgrounds, explained why the board decided to take action.

“The Fourth of July Parade is a major event in Canfield,” Roman said. “It was canceled. It’s like a big reunion for everyone. They come from all over and there are a lot of actual reunions that occur that weekend. So there was a void to fill.”

The fairgrounds board, Roman said, went out and found some “generous sponsors” to help pay for the fireworks: Cornerstone Electric, Boak and Sons, HD Davis CPAs, Farmers National Bank, Joe Dickey Electric, Less Contracting and Rob’s Horst Packing.

“It will be a general uplifting of the spirits for the community,” Roman said.

The Trumbull County Fairgrounds Fourth of July fireworks show will begin at about 9:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to stay in their car. Admission is free. The fairgrounds are at 899 Everett Hull Road, Cortland.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.