No Fireworks at Taste This Year
By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 1, 2011 1:00PM
Call it a casualty of a city looking to maintain a budget, an acknowledgement of economic reality or a public safety measure. Either way, there will be no fireworks display at Taste of Chicago next month. Suddenly Taste became very interesting for us.
Chicago Park District spokesperson Jessica Maxey-Faulkner said the decision to cancel even the scaled down fireworks at three different beaches was necessary due to the cost.
“When the Chicago Park District inherited the Taste, we did so with an eye on cutting expenses and bringing the focus back to a family-friendly food festival,” Maxey-Faulkner said, noting that last year’s show cost $110,000, not including police expenses.
Maxey-Faulkner also pointed out that Navy Pier, run by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, will still have its fireworks shows on July 2 and 4, so the skyline won't be completely dark next month.
Last year's scaled-back fireworks did wonders in spreading the crowds that typically congested Taste in previous years along the lakefront. With the only fireworks coming from Navy Pier, will Taste be overrun again? Or will people stay at home this year?