CITY OF TUSCOLA CANCELS “SPARKS IN THE PARK” FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVAL
 
The Tuscola City Council voted unanimously to cancel the annual “Sparks in the Park” Fourth of July Festival, including the fireworks show, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The difficult decision was made in the interest of the health and safety of the community.  City Council member Phyllis Truitt summed up the sentiment of the entire council: “Regrettably, Mr. Mayor, I make a motion to cancel Sparks in the Park.”
 
Mayor Dan Kleiss stated that a deposit had already been made on the annual fireworks show, but that amount could be transferred to the following year or perhaps be used for a fireworks show later in the year. Kleiss also expressed his regrets, saying “I don’t like this any more than the rest of you, but I see no path that lets us do this within the existing safety guidelines.”
 
Sparks in the Park is an annual festival organized by Tuscola Tourism and held in Tuscola’s Ervin Park.  The festival draws thousands of attendees each year as the City celebrates our country’s freedom.  Tuscola Tourism is working on plans for some smaller, virtual activities for residents to show their patriotism if those can be accomplished within safety guidelines in place at that time.  The public is encouraged to bookmark,  “like” and “follow” the City on-line at www.tuscola.org and on social media platforms to be informed of local information.
 
The City Council also discussed the likelihood that the Ervin Park Swimming Pool would not open in 2020. However, a vote on the matter was tabled in the hopes that COVID-19 guidance might change in the near future.