Lake Orion residents and visitors will have to rearrange their Fourth of July vacation schedule. The Lions Club plans to hold their annual Jubilee the week before the holiday (June 25 to 27), and they say the change is likely a permanent one.
Why break more than 30 years of tradition? To stick with Mid-America Shows Inc., who will be at the Indiana State Fair over the Fourth.
‘We’ve had great success with them in the past,? Lions Club Member Jack Patton. ‘We know this will be a hard sell for us.?
Because of Mid-America’s professionalism, strict no-nonsense policy and helpfulness during clean-up, the Lions Club hasn’t considered booking another carnival company.
The announcement produced many concerns from councilmembers at the village meeting March 10.
Village Manager Paul Zelenak voiced possible issues for the police force, including extra patrols for several days instead of just on the Fourth.
‘Separate dates mean additional impact on the police budget,? Police Chief Jerry Narsh said. He added that in the past, all LO officers are ‘compulsory on-duty? – a very expensive mandate, especially for union workers over a national holiday.
Other issues included clean-up after the fireworks, with which Mid-American used to help, and low carnival attendance, which impacts downtown business.
The Lions Club says it’s offered Lake Orion Fireworks Association $4,000 in remunerations to move the fireworks to overlap with the Jubilee, but without success.
‘We offered money to the association to change the date,? said Patton. ‘They said ‘absolutely not.??
Carl Sorowski of the fireworks association says they haven’t officially decided to keep the fireworks on the Fourth, but that’s definitely the sentiment shared by the community and the association.
‘We set up a committee to ask businesses and donors, and they want to keep it on the Fourth,? said Sorowski.
He added that some businesses liked the idea of two separate dates because the crowded carnival prevented customers from stopping in on the Fourth.
‘Visitors would be ‘free? to move around downtown more easily,? he said.
To assuage concerns about carnival attendance dropping, Sorowski suggests the Lions Club also do a fireworks display during the Jubilee.
‘They have that $4,000 as a start,? he said. ‘There’s nothing wrong with fireworks two weekends in a row.?