(BIVN) – There will be no fireworks over Hilo Bay on the 4th of July. Hawaiʻi County officials issued the following media release on Wednesday:

The County of Hawai‘i regrets to announce the cancellation of this year’s Hilo Bay Blast Fourth of July celebration. The safety and wellbeing of our community is a priority, as State and County officials continue to encourage responsible personal decision making and appropriate preventive measures due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The cancellation includes all originally scheduled activities such as the Salute to Our Veterans Hilo Bay 5K Run/Walk at Lili’uokalani Gardens, the Hot Rides Expo at the Hilo Bayfront Soccer Fields, live music performances, children’s activities and various food vendors that were to occur throughout the Hilo Bayfront area. The fireworks display and musical accompaniment that close out the annual Independence Day celebration in Hilo are also cancelled.

There will be no street closures or modified traffic patterns implemented this year. All County parks will open at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. over the holiday weekend.

Mayor Harry Kim said he hopes that some of the events can be rescheduled to later in the year, provided that the pandemic threat has eased and people can safely gather.

West Hawaii fireworks displays at Kailua Bay and Queens Bowl in Waikoloa, which are privately organized, were previously cancelled. The Kona Fourth of July Parade was also previously cancelled by its organizers.

Please take this time to celebrate the birth of American independence in a safe and responsible fashion with family and friends. We ask that everyone continue to adhere to physical distancing requirements, always wear proper face coverings and ensure proper sanitization protocols.

For more information contact the Department of Parks and Recreation Culture & Education Office at 961-8706.