Mokena May Seek New Date For July 4 Fireworks Show As Show Fees Jump

MOKENA, IL — The Village of Mokena’s annual July 4 display will go on this year, but due to rising costs and a change in who puts the show on, the showcase may need to be shifted to a different date, village officials said.

The village board is advising staff members to seek alternative dates for the Independence Day fireworks after one vendor quoted the village a price of $50,000 — nearly double what the village paid last year, officials said this week.

The Mokena fireworks show has traditionally been put on by Pyrotecnico, but when contacted by the village in recent weeks, the company informed officials that they are not able to produce a show this year due to a shortage of staff caused by retirements and the current labor market.

The village sent out requests for quotes to nine fireworks vendors, and six of the nine responded by saying that they were not available for shows on July 3 or 4, according to Greg Anderson, the village’s new assistant administrator.

Last year, the village paid $28,500 to the company to put on the fireworks and split the cost with the park district.

Mad Bomber is the only vendor that has responded with availability for July 4. This is the last crew available on July 4 at a cost of $50,000, Anderson said.

Village staff members have requested that Mad Bomber tentatively hold this date and provide a draft contract, Anderson said. Anderson said to address the increase in price, the village is seeking a partnership with the Mokena Park District and is also exploring the idea of corporate sponsorships.

However, at a meeting this week, Mokena Park District executive director Greg Vitale said that paying half of a fee that might be nearly double from last year could be tough.

“Paying double is a tough pill to swallow for a 20-minute show,” Vitale said at the meeting, according to The Daily Southtown. “We’re going to try to make this work as much as we can within reason.

Anderson said that village administrators have also encouraged staff members to look at possibly holding the fireworks either on July 2 or 3 or, alternatively, on July 7.