(COLUMBIA, MO) -
The City of Columbia’s Fourth of July Fire in the Sky celebration will only feature a fireworks display for 2020.
Typically, the Fire in the Sky event includes a large community gathering with entertainment and activities. However, in the interest of public safety and to ensure compliance with social distancing guidelines and limits on public gathering sizes as set by Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, Fire in the Sky is being modified this year.
The event will be moved from the previous downtown location to Cosmo-Bethel Park, 4500 Bethel St., to facilitate a safe fall-out zone so that the fireworks show reaches a height that is visible to as many residential homes in Columbia as possible. Last year’s fireworks display reached a height of 200-300 feet, this year’s display will reach a height of 300-600 feet.
Columbia Parks and Recreation staff evaluated multiple park and private sites based on the following criteria: space for the fireworks discharge and fall zones, elevation in Columbia, distance from construction sites and distance from federal or Missouri highways so as to not cause traffic problems.
Cosmo-Bethel Park was chosen because it meets this criteria; the park is 40 acres in size and has an elevation of 752 feet. There are no adjacent construction sites or nearby highways.
The park will be closed to provide a safe fall-out zone, and the elevation of the park should provide visibility of the fireworks for at least a four-mile radius, which includes 40,606 households. All parking areas at the park and neighboring Gentry Middle School and Rock Bridge High School will be closed to the public.
Residents watching the display should not gather in large groups, nor should they drive toward the park and park on nearby streets. Social distancing is encouraged.
The fireworks show will begin at 9:15 p.m. and will be choreographed to music played on BXR 102.3.
Fire in the Sky is made possible by the generous sponsor donations from Columbia Insurance Group and KOMU 8 as presenting sponsors and also by the Cosmopolitan Luncheon Club, BXR 102.3, KFRU 1400, Boone County Bicentennial Committee, and Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For more information please visit CoMo.gov and search 4th of July or call 573.874.7460.
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