Oak Bluffs officials stated the cancellation of the more-than-150-year-tradition of summertime fireworks was circumvented by rough seas, safety concerns, and state restrictions.
The Oak Bluffs Fireworks that were scheduled to take place last Friday were canceled due to choppy waters and inclement weather conditions forecast for the weekend, pushing off the event until the summer of 2027.
“Due to rough seas, unfavorable weather conditions, and concerns regarding the safe loading and operation of the fireworks barge, both Friday fireworks display and the scheduled Saturday rain date have been canceled,” Wendy Brough, Oak Bluffs town administrator, wrote in an email to The Times Friday morning.
The cancellation was made in consultation with the fireworks contractor and public safety personnel. A press release from the Oak Bluffs Fireworks Committee issued on Wednesday, August 26, noted that the weather would have caused issues for the barge that carried the fireworks.
“When winds are strong and seas are rough, the barge pitches and rolls, creating unsafe working conditions for technicians handling explosive materials,” the release stated. “Under those circumstances, proceeding with show preparations would have placed crews and the public at unnecessary risk.”
Brough also noted the other logistical constraints, such as a need for approval from the state Department of Transportation to close Seaview Avenue, a state roadway, “a process that can take four months or more.”
The fireworks are the culmination of Oak Bluffs’ summer, attracting tens of thousands of spectators, and are a yearlong mission that begins each September for the town, involving permits, contracts, logistics, emergency preparedness, and budgeting. This tradition, according to the release, represents around $100,000 in annual investments, sustained through the town budget, and sponsorship by Summercamp Hotel.
The committee highlighted how the fireworks take extensive preparation by town personnel, coordination with the Steamship Authority and Vineyard Transit Authority to move people, and inspection of materials by licensed pyrotechnicians and marine crews. Dion Alley, committee chair, said the fireworks are a collaborative effort for the whole town.
“The Oak Bluffs fireworks belong to the entire community,” Alley said in the release. “This tradition has endured for generations because of the support of our taxpayers, sponsors, public safety partners, town employees, and volunteers. While this year’s cancellation was disappointing, it reinforces the importance of always putting safety first. We remain committed to preserving this tradition for future generations, and welcome greater community participation in helping ensure that is possible.”
Brough said that, according to Oak Bluffs Fire Chief Stephen Foster, the “unused fireworks were transported off-Island via a specially arranged hazardous materials ferry. Responsibility for the fireworks remains with the vendor, who will either reuse or properly dispose of them as appropriate.”
