July 4 festivities in Miami-Dade trickling back; Hialeah is going all out
Last July 4, with MiamiDade County experiencing a summer surge of COVID-19 cases, many cities canceled their contracts for fireworks displays and nixed event plans. Hialeah, known for throwing an annual Independence Day bash at Milander
Park, tried making the best of it with a virtual event hosted by Mayor Carlos Hernandez — but technical glitches left some residents disappointed.
But now, with more than half of Miami-Dade’s over-16 population vaccinated and COVID restrictions gone, some cities are bringing back their fireworks shows and July 4 celebrations. Hialeah is leading the way.
Last week, the Hialeah City Council unanimously approved more than $330,000 to host a free event at Milander Park, including $60,000 to book the popular Cuban reggaeton duo Gente de Zona as a concert headliner. More than 18,000 people are likely to attend, the city said on Facebook.
“We might have to turn people away,” Hialeah Councilman Paul Hernandez said during a May 25 meeting.
“No doubt,” said Carlos Hernandez, the mayor (no relation to the councilman). “It’s gonna be crazy.”
The mayor told the Miami Herald he’s not yet sure how many people will be allowed in, but that attendees will be asked to wear masks.
“We want to make this a great event, and we want to make it as safe as possible,” he said. “We cannot forget that the coronavirus is still here, especially in Miami-Dade County.”
Other costs for the event include about $150,000 for a production company, $49,000 for a 30-minute fireworks display, $17,000 for smoke and confetti, $24,000 for LED video panels, $18,000 for “programmable and controllable” LED wristbands for attendees, and $16,000 for video production.
Carlos Hernandez said he expects about $300,000 in sponsorships to help offset those costs.
The director of special events for the city, David Fernandez, said it was hard to find workers to build the concert stage because many events companies have shut down over the past year.
“This year, the big [financial] hit is staffing,” he said. “It has been very difficult finding skilled technical workers to build our stage.”
Gracing that stage will be several DJs, Cuban singer Amaury Gutierrez, and Gente de Zona, the duo of Alexander Delgado and Randy Malcom that has ruffled feathers among the Cuban expatriate community in recent years.
The duo has been criticized in the past for performing in Cuba and showing support for the Cuban government. In 2019, the city of Miami
removed them from a
New Year’s Eve concert lineup, and they were part of a July 4 lineup in Hialeah that stirred controversy centered largely around another artist, Jacob Forever.
But earlier this year, Gente de Zona seemed to solidify its reputation as an opponent of the Cuban regime with the protest anthem, “Patria y Vida.”
“They’ve redeemed themselves, but there’s still some controversy that’s attached to them,” Councilwoman Monica Perez said during the council meeting last week. “There is an attached stigma to certain groups that performed or had dual citizenship in Cuba.”
Carlos Hernandez, the mayor and the city’s top administrator, vouched for the decision to hire the group. In late April, the duo made a surprise appearance in Hialeah on 16th Ave. and 49th Street, performing “Patria y Vida” and posing for photographs with Hernandez.
“Because of their name,
we’ll be able to raise a big chunk in sponsorships,” Hernandez said. “I think they’re the right group for this year.”
Perez and the rest of the council ultimately voted in favor of the move, and also approved the other event costs.
“Fourth of July is an amazing, beautiful event that we have here,” Perez said. “I think it’s up there with major concerts like Ultra music festival [in Miami].”
FIREWORKS SHOW AT TRUMP DORAL
The city of Doral is planning to partner with the Trump National Doral Miami — the Trump Organization’s golf resort at Northwest 87th Ave. and 36th Street — to give residents a fireworks show on July 4.
Next week, the city council will discuss the proposal, which would have attendees sit on the golf course to watch the show.
“Staff have held discussions with Trump National Doral to discuss logistics and the resort is excited to partner with the city by hosting the fireworks show this year,” Doral Parks and Recreation Director Erin Weislow wrote in a memo about the plan.
In the past, the city has held its Independence Day events at Doral Central Park, but the park has been closed since March for a multi-year renovation project.
TK Miami Beach TK some stuff from fireworks companies about changes this year, other cities bringing back shows, etc.
TK other cities
MIAMI, CORAL GABLES CANCEL FIREWORKS SHOWS
Other cities are playing it safe. In Miami, the Bayfront Park Management Trust chose not to move forward with its July 4 fireworks show, saying COVID still poses a threat at an event whose average attendance is around 45,000.
The city will hold a smaller fireworks display at Jose Marti Park on the Miami River.
Coral Gables, which skipped its “A Gables Fourth” celebration last year, is taking 2021 off as well. City spokeswoman Martha Pantin said that while COVID restrictions have been lifted and the city has begun planning smaller events, “an event of the size and scope of the Fourth of July celebration is not feasible at this time.”
Miami Herald staff writers Samantha J. Gross, Joey Flechas, Douglas Hanks and Martin Vassolo contributed to this report.