MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — Earlier this year, Milwaukee County canceled the July 3 Veterans Park fireworks display that had become a tradition to the city's lakefront.
"Well I was disappointed obviously," said Scott Fisher, who owns Gift of Wings Kite shop in Veterans Park. "I mean it's been a tradition down here for a long time."
Fisher tells TMJ4 that July 3 is a busy day for him and his business.
It's the same story over at Moosa's at Bradford Beach.
"Previous years have been very busy, it’s actually the busiest day of the year for us," said Nas Musa, the Owner of Moosa's. "If you would come here on the third you would see a line hitting the parking lot."
But neither business was letting the lack of fireworks ruin their day.
VIDEO: Milwaukee residents still hoping to make July 3 special, even without fireworks
"Today’s going to be a great day," Fisher said. "We may not have as many people but we’re going to be flying kites. I call it the non-fireworks kite festival."
People still came out to Veterans Park to celebrate. One of those families was the Taff's.
"It's one of the favorite days for us for the whole year," said Jenny Taff. "Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Third of July."
The Taff Family have been coming to the celebration for over 50 years.
When they heard the news, they were disappointed, but not deterred.
"We very quickly decided we don’t care we’re still going to go down," Taff said.
And they hope Milwaukee reverses course in 2025.
"I think it would be important for Milwaukee to overlook the cost and focus on the benefit of how it brings Milwaukee together in a positive way, building community," Taff said.
Below is a list of this year's Fourth of July fireworks for Milwaukee County:
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
