Oak Bluffs fireworks have long been synonymous with late August.
Alison L. Mead/Gazette file photo

Oak Bluffs Fireworks Canceled for Second Straight Year

The Oak Bluffs fireworks will be canceled for a second straight summer due to the pandemic, the town firemen’s civic association announced Tuesday.

The Oak Bluffs fireworks will be canceled for a second straight summer due to the pandemic, the town firemen’s civic association announced Tuesday.

“Due to the uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have no alternative other than to not schedule what would have been the 45th Oak Bluffs Firemen’s Civic Association Fireworks in August 2021,” association president James Moreis Jr. said in a post on Facebook.

Last summer would have marked the 45th year for the annual fireworks display that has long marked the grand finale of summer on Martha’s Vineyard. Thousands of Islanders and visitors of every stripe, from summer camp kids to visiting presidents, have attended the signature event held in the broad sweep of Ocean Park overlooking Nantucket Sound.

The event is a fundraiser for the firemen’s civic association, which raises money for scholarships and other community causes.

The announcement marks the first major summer cancellation as the pandemic enters a second year and uncertainty prevails amid concerns about protecting public health. On the Vineyard, as around the globe, vaccinations are in full swing, but case counts remain high and the emergence of virus variants pose new challenges, mandating continued strict safety protocols.

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 04/14/2021 - 08:57

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Rena Vine Oak Bluffs

I think everyone who wants be be vaccinated by Aug 20th would have been and that we'd be okay. And others who didn't want to take this risk could find a viewing spot further away from the crowd. We'll have a record summer of visitors so the season will resume albeit without this tradition. I think it's the wrong decision and would like to see the decision reversed or postponed as the rates will be low come August. (Yes, I have a crystal ball but it's only for me.)

steve oak bluffs

I strongly agree. It is outdoors. Any who want to be vaccinated will be vaccinated. Is this really more of a risk than lots of people walking on circuit avenue ? Or waiting in line for ice cream? When will people feel sufficiently safe to resume living?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/15/2021 - 14:07

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MVYKRAT Edgartown

The 45th anniversary of a wonderful event in support of a very good cause, once again, succumbing to the pandemic. What will be next?

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