The Tahoe City Downtown Association will hold its 77th annual Fourth of July celebration with a return to fireworks this year after several years of a drone light show.
During the pandemic, we were unable to host a Fourth of July celebration for 2 years. When we were able to return to large celebrations, the TCDA Board decided to switch to a drone show. I am now the executive director of the TCDA, but I was a board member prior to moving to my current position and took part in the discussions around switching to drones. The board looked at a number of factors in its decision to move to drones — the costs had decreased, the quality of drone shows had improved, the novelty of drone shows was an attraction, the perception that drones were a more sustainable option (both fireworks and drone batteries contain heavy metals, however), and concerns about fireworks noise.
Moving to the drone shows had unanticipated consequences, however. Spending in Tahoe City drastically declined at restaurants, retailers, and recreation providers on the Fourth of July, a critical time for our businesses to make money. The novelty and the attendance also declined with each successive show. Increasingly, people were leaving Tahoe City and the West Shore to drive to fireworks shows in Truckee and South Lake Tahoe, creating more traffic. And without the booms, it just didn’t invoke the same patriotic fervor. In fact, we were being bombarded with feedback from the community of their complete dislike of the drone shows. Many comments called them “unpatriotic.”
After listening to these comments, TCDA did a community survey with 82% of respondents wanting us to bring back fireworks. On top of that, our business community was suffering from the lack of business in Tahoe City. In December 2024, our board made the decision to return to fireworks at the behest of the community and the businesses.
“The TCDA board listened to our business members and the community in making the decision to return to fireworks,” said Gail Scoville, TCDA Board president. “It’s what the community wants, and it’s our responsibility to do what’s best for Tahoe City, which means bringing back the fireworks.”
Since making that decision, the excitement in the community is palpable. We named our fireworks fundraiser Bring Back the Boom because it was the most repeated comment in our survey. And the community has shown its support for the 77th fireworks show by already donating more than $58,000.
For those concerned about the environmental impacts of fireworks, a Lahontan Water Quality Control Board and Desert Research Institute study found there was no indication of significant water quality impacts of fireworks on Lake Tahoe or the need to continue monitoring. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency allows fireworks shows in the Tahoe Basin. There is also oversight by Placer County, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the North Tahoe Fire Department.
The TCDA is excited to bring back this long-standing tradition that has thrilled residents and visitors for almost 8 decades. The fireworks will once again be shot off from a barge in the lake off Commons Beach, with viewing available at locations throughout downtown Tahoe City and parts of the West Shore. In addition, TCDA will host family-friendly activities at Heritage Plaza, and local businesses will host Fourth of July celebrations throughout town. We are still fundraising for the fireworks show; you can donate at visittahoecity.org. Look for our booths on the Fourth at Heritage Plaza and the Old Fire Station to purchase your commemorative T-shirt.
We’ll have more details available closer to the event at visittahoecity.org.
~ Katherine Hill is the executive director of the Tahoe City Downtown Association, co-founder of the Tahoe Literary Festival and Truckee Literary Crawl, and publisher of Tahoe Guide. When she’s not championing community events or the written word, she’s out hiking, paddleboarding, or discovering the hidden gems of Tahoe’s vibrant mountain culture.
