The coronavirus pandemic has claimed another big event scheduled in Dover.
Dover’s Fourth of July celebration is canceled because of social distancing concerns, and the lack of finances available for the event.
It joins the Firefly Music Festival and Dover Days as events already wiped out in the capital city because of the pandemic.
The city uses donations and sponsors for the fireworks and everything else involved in the event
And Dover Downtown Rotary Club president Justin Strickland says there are simply too many variables to make the event happen this July.
"The point was that we have to think about is how we're going to keep everybody safe, what's the status going to be like by July 4th, and when a lot of the event is done for fundraising, it's hard to ask for money right now for an event when they're struggling to keep their doors open as a business," said Strickland.
Strickland, who serveson the city’s Fourth of July committee, says it did not think there is time to make it work logistically or financially.
“There's a lot more that goes into than saying hey let's have some fireworks and put on a party with things being restricted with places being closed down and money being needed, there's just not enough time," said Strickland. "I think that was kind of the decision everybody came to that was on the call was there really just was not enough time."
The city has floated the idea of holding another event, possibly on Labor Day weekend, to replace this one. It would not only celebrate the country, but honor the heroes dealing with the pandemic on a daily basis.
