Suncoast Charities for Children withdraws as host
Near the end of an approximately 90-minute Sarasota City Commission meeting Monday, Deputy City Manager Patrick Robinson advised the commissioners of what he indicated would be unwelcome news that he had heard over the weekend, as he was “out around town.”
Suncoast Charities for Children, which has hosted the city’s July 4 fireworks show for more than a decade, will not be doing so this summer, Robinson explained. As the situation stood that morning, he continued, “We do not have a permit application for the Fourth of July fireworks in the city of Sarasota.”
He wanted to make all of the commissioners aware of that, Robinson pointed out, “because it will be a point of interest.”
It is his understanding, he continued, that the company that leases the Marina Jack property from the city — Jack Graham LLC — “is working on obtaining another nonprofit to work with to permit the event …” Robinson emphasized once more that “there is no permitted event right now for July 4 downtown.”
He added that he had heard from perhaps 12 people over the weekend “that they were aghast that this was occurring.”
He explained to those individuals, Robinson added, that the fireworks show is not a city-sponsored event. Instead, it “is a privately permitted event.”
Robinson told the commissioners that he would get an update for any of them at any time they wished by checking with the city’s Special Events staff.
Mayor Liz Alpert responded, “I don’t know how we can, as a city, not have fireworks. … Hopefully, [Marina Jack representatives] will find somebody.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” Robinson replied.
To the best of his knowledge, he noted, city staff never has put on the July 4 show. Instead, a private entity always has shouldered that responsibility.
Alpert told him that she hoped more news would be available by the time the commission held its next regular meeting, on May 19.
The city’s 2023 news release about the July Fourth fireworks show explained that the event “is organized by Suncoast Charities for Children in partnership with Marina Jack …”
In response to a Sarasota News Leader request for comment, Lucy Nicandri, executive director of Suncoast Charities for Children, provided the following statement on May 13:
“Suncoast Charities for Children has organized the July 4th Bayfront Fireworks, in partnership with Marina Jack, for the past 13 years. However, due to a significant decrease in financial support and increased expenses to continue producing the event, the charity has made the difficult decision to step away as one of the primary organizers for this year. Suncoast Charities for Children holds multiple fundraising events annually, supporting critical programs and services to help local children, teens, and adults with special needs and necessary maintenance at various non-profit agency locations. We hope this beloved event that the community has enjoyed for many years will continue.”