The show must go on — and it will. The fate of the iconic annual August fireworks show hosted by the Oak Bluffs Firemen’s Civic Association is no longer in jeopardy. Summercamp, formerly the Wesley Hotel, has made a three-year financial commitment to the event.
The fireworks display over Ocean Park features spectacular pyrotechnics and raises money to help injured firefighters and EMTs, but it has also faced financial trouble more than once.
Costing about $40,000 to $50,000 each year, the show hit a financial bump in 2012 when the association was unable to support the display alone and nearly cancelled the event. Black Entertainment Television (BET) stepped in with a sizable donation, which they continued for three years. Last year was the final year of BET’s contribution, and the fate of the spectacle was once again in flux.
A little over a month ago, Summercamp offered to fill the funding gap, with a donation comparable to BET’s. President of the Oak Bluffs Fireman’s Civic Association James Maseda said the donation covers about a quarter or third of the cost.
Rob Blood, founder, CEO and principal of Lark Hotels which bought the Wesley Hotel in May of last year and transformed it into Summercamp, said the decision to contribute came down to the show being such an important event for the community.
“Being new to the community and finding there was an opportunity to be involved, for us it makes sense,” he said. Mr. Blood said seeing the fireworks when he was in sixth grade is one of his iconic childhood memories from that time.
“I can’t imagine after 40 years the fireworks not happening,” he said.
Mr. Maseda said they had put in the deposits for the August 19 show in January, intent on going ahead this year whether they had a sponsor or not.
“We felt pretty confident and then when [Summercamp] came through it locked it in,” he said. “We’ve been very fortunate and the community has been a great help.”
Oak Bluffs fire chief John Rose agreed.
“I just think it’s really amazing that they stepped up to help out the association and fireworks in our time of need,” he said.
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