Annual fireworks could move to Labor Day

Published 10:33 am Thursday, September 3, 2015

The Farmville Town Council is considering discontinuing its annual Fourth of July fireworks event and creating a similar Labor Day event.

“There are several close-by locations that hold July 4th celebrations,” noted a Sept. 9 council meeting document. “By celebrating in September, the town is more likely to see an increase in community attendance, the student attendance and the weather is usually more accommodating,” the document noted.

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“I’ve had a couple people ask me about that and I’d like to see what council wants [to do],” Town Manager Gerald Spates said during the council’s Wednesday work session.

The change, which is on the council’s Sept. 9 agenda, if made, would be effective next year.

“We tend to have more people at the event for Labor Day than we do on the Fourth [of July],” Ward D Councilman Donald L. Hunter said. “A lot of people are on vacation that time of the year.”

“There’s so many other events around too,” Spates said of the July holiday.

Town council members cited Longwood students being present and the lack of events on the holiday in the area as additional reasoning for considering moving the event date.