Photo by Matt Cohn
UPDATED THURSDAY, APRIL 10 | Excitement over 5th District Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske’s announcement of a fireworks show returning to Veterans Stadium was put on hold this week when it was revealed that Long Beach City College has yet to receive any paperwork for the proposed event.
Long Beach City College Trustee Jeff Kellogg said Saturday that he was unaware of the show and that no agreement to use the stadium on the 4th of July was filed before the announcement was made public. Schipske responded Tuesday by clarifying that though the money has all been raised, she has been working with Partners of Parks to reserve the date at Veterans Stadium.
“Drew Satarino of PoP has confirmed with the person who manages the stadium that the date is available, and has set up a meeting to go over the logistics for the event,” Schipske said in a statement. “The event is moving forward with planning for entertainment and scheduling.”
LBCC spokesperson Mark Taylor said Wednesday evening that the school has yet to receive anything official from Schipske or Partners of Parks.
“There was an initial inquiry, but no paperwork has been filed as of this afternoon,” he said.
ORIGINAL FRIDAY, APRIL 4 | After two years of no large-scale 4th of July fireworks shows in East Long Beach, a fireworks celebration will be returning this summer to Veterans Stadium, adjacent to Long Beach City College.
For 54 years, the Long Beach Firefighter’s Memorial Association had sponsored a successful show at the stadium, but the organization moved it to the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club starting in 2012 after paid attendance and sponsorship dropped, leaving an entire segment of the city without its own 4th of July fireworks show.
5th Distrcit Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Gerrie Schipske announced this week that the fireworks will again light up Vets Stadium; she has secured $25,000 from a local business to pay for the rental costs and equipment necessary to put on a show there.
“I am so excited that we are bringing fireworks back to east Long Beach,” says Schipske. “This has been a long tradition and one of the few events unique to our side of town.”
Schipske also said she is working to have the Long Beach Municipal Band perform as part of a large-scale tribute to those who serve in the military and their families.
If you would like to volunteer for the event, contact Haley at Schipske’s council office at (562) 570-6932.
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