Half Moon Bay 4th of July Fireworks Cancelled

Half Moon Bay will not be hosting a this year, the Princeton-based American Legion Coastside Fireworks Committee announced earlier today.

American Legion Post #474 member Bob Resch, chairman of the all-volunteer committee, said that the group was unable to raise an adequate amount of funding to pay for the display.

"In the future we will be looking into adequate pledges prior to December 1 so that we don't unneccessarily expend volunteer hours, insurance fees and permit expenses," Resch wrote in an email.

Resch said that the group was disappointed.

"The members of the American Legion Coastside Fireworks Team have worked very hard and expended many volunteer hours in hopes of 2012 fireworks," he said.

One local business owner who wished to remain unnamed said that the reason for the lack of funds was the refusal of several businesses in the Half Moon Bay community to contribute to the fireworks fund.

"For years, the two biggest contributors have stepped up to the plate to make up for the businesses who have not wanted to contribute," the business owner said.

"They've continued to not want to donate any money for the show, despite the fact that they benefit from the increase in tourism to the area," the business owner said, referring to visitors from around the Bay Area who may come to Half Moon Bay for the fireworks show over Pillar Point Harbor and patronize local hotels and restaurants during the holiday weekend.

This year, the business owner said, the contributors who have made up for the lack of donations from other businesses in the past decided that they'd had enough.

Last year, the Half Moon Bay community was able to raise the funds to hold the fireworks. Over $20,000 was raised at a held in conjunction with the American Legion Coastside Fireworks Committee and . Fireworks in Half Moon Bay were cancelled in 2010 due to a lack of funds.

The estimated to fund the fireworks show in 2011 was $51,000. Resch could not be reached for comment in regards to the estimated amount needed to fund a fireworks display in 2012, nor the amount of money raised to date by the fireworks committee.

See photos from the 2011 fireworks celebration in Half Moon Bay by photographer James Tensuan . Learn how to take better pictures of fireworks in a blog post by Half Moon Bay photographer Stuart Nafey .

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