The Missoula City Council this week narrowly voted to deny a waiver that would have allowed the Missoula PaddleHeads to host fireworks displays on both July 3 and 4.
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Following the vote Monday, the PaddleHeads worked with the city to move the fireworks originally scheduled for July 3 to the next day and replaced the display with a drone show, according to a social media statement.
“After the city council’s decision not to allow fireworks on two adjacent nights, we rolled up our sleeves and worked with the mayor’s office on an alternative,” PaddleHeads President Matt Ellis said in a press release. “We found a solution to deliver two great nights of community entertainment celebrating America’s 250th.”
Big Sky Professional Baseball, which owns the PaddleHeads, leases Ogren Park stadium from the city. The lease outlines how often the PaddleHeads can shoot off fireworks and prohibits consecutive fireworks shows.
The city and the PaddleHeads have been renegotiating the lease for about eight months, City Attorney Ryan Sudbury said Monday. The negotiations have essentially finished, but the new lease still needs council approval, he said. The PaddleHeads seemed to have planned fireworks on both nights, based on the amended lease, which allowed them additional fireworks nights and one period of consecutive fireworks nights, Sudbury said.
Marina Yoshioka, the city’s parks and recreation director, said the city partnered with the PaddleHeads to put on the fireworks shows in honor of America’s 250th birthday, using a grant from Town Pump. Yoshioka said the city hopes a large public display will reduce the private use of fireworks, most of which are not allowed within the city limits.
The main event was originally planned for the 3rd instead of the 4th because more people are likely to be in town that Friday, Yoshioka said.
Missoula has not had a public fireworks display on the Fourth of July in several years, since one traditionally put on by the Southgate Mall ended with a change in ownership, said Council President Mike Nugent. The last year the mall put on the fireworks show and holiday celebration was 2021, according to NBC Montana.
Several council members raised concerns about the additional night of fireworks at the baseball stadium, including the impacts of the loud noise on veterans, people with mental illnesses, families with young children, pets and wildlife. Council Members Kristen Jordan and Mirtha Becerra said they receive complaints about fireworks from people who live around the stadium. Council Member Betsy Craske advocated moving the fireworks display to July 4 in the future to give residents predictability.
“For some people it’s an inconvenience, and for some people it’s an annoyance, but for some other people it has greater impacts,” Becerra said. “There are many loud noises that we cannot control — airplanes, trains. … But this is one we can actually control how many nights, for how long. So because of that and not because of anything related to patriotism or wanting to celebrate, I am not supporting this.”
Other council members supported the waiver to allow a public fireworks display on the Fourth of July for the first time in many years and to honor the country’s 250th anniversary. Council Member Bob Campbell said the argument was hypocritical in light of the noise from the Zootown Music Festival last weekend. Council Member Sean McCoy, a veteran, said his father was also a veteran and struggled with loud noises, so he empathizes with concerns.
“But I also have a really strong belief in this country and tradition and celebration of all the things that make this country what it is, as well as this being the 250th anniversary. It’s hard for me to want to say no to this,” he said. “On another year, I would struggle to have two back-to-back nights, however, I think we can weather this and have our traditions.”
The council voted 6-5 to reject the noise waiver, with council members Becerra, Jordan, Craske, Eric Melson, Amber Sherrill and Gwen Jones making up the majority.
On Friday, July 3, the PaddleHeads will have a drone show by Big Sky Droneworks following the baseball game. The PaddleHeads will also hold a free event at Silver Park, outside the stadium, featuring food trucks, live music, a beer garden and activities. The event will take place from 5 p.m. until the drone show, starting around 10:15 p.m. The PaddleHeads will have a post-game fireworks display at 10:30 p.m. July 4.
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