The city is seeking proposals from vendors to conduct its annual Independence Day fireworks show for the next three years (2024, 2025 and 2026).
This year’s show is planned for July 3. Like last year, fireworks will be discharged from the Kettering Field complex, located at 444 N. Bend Blvd.
The city of Dayton last year cancelled its Lights in Flight holiday festival that leads up to the fireworks show. Officials said that was due to staffing challenges and concerns.
A request for proposals issued by the city says the festival will not take place this year either.
But the city also wants a drone show that is either part of the fireworks show or that serves as a stand-alone event.
Drone shows are aerial displays that feature fleets of high-tech, synchronized drones that are equipped with LED lights that can create images, graphics, words and animations in the sky. Drone shows often tell a story.
Kings Island in Mason in 2022 started using drones as part of its nightly fireworks shows.
The city of Berea, southwest of Cleveland, used drones to create holiday figures in the sky during its winter festival in December.
The Columbus Crew soccer team last year had a large drone show over its stadium following one of its matches.
Drone shows sometimes have been used as an alternative to fireworks because they aren’t loud like pyrotechnics and don’t pose a fire risk.
The Dayton Daily News on Monday asked the city for details about its Fourth of July plans. Check back on DaytonDailyNews.com for updates.
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