An annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has been officially canceled this year.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska - An annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has been officially canceled this year, a week after beingOn Tuesday, coordinator Mike Thomas sent an email to the 2025 Sparktacular event’s sponsors announcing his decision to fully cancel the event.
2025 would have been 36th year for the firework show, which began in 1989 as an alternative to a Fourth of July event, when fireworks would not be as visible in the Interior’s constant summer daylight. This marks the first time since its inception that the event has been canceled, having been postponed in 2000. “We were going to postpone it for just like another week but the weather hung in and hung in,” Thomas said. Eventually, the lead pyrotechnic who was responsible for setting of the fireworks was not available anymore, and the specialized truck shipping the materials up to Fairbanks experienced problems.Thomas said he was bummed to have had to cancel the event, adding that over the years, the show was received a positive response from the community. Traditionally, Thomas said he would go up on campus prior to the start of the show, which is where he enjoyed it most. “I’m looking out over the lookout there and I just see hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of cars waiting for the show to start,” he said. “It’s very gratifying, and then after the show, honks and honks and ‘yays’ and all that stuff. “It’s worth all the work, it’s worth the money, and it gives me motivation to stay involved for the following year.” According to Thomas, this year’s show was budgeted for $18,000, which marks a $1,500 increase over last year, and that money is currently sitting in a savings account. “I told our respective sponsors that if they wanted to be refunded this year, I would be happy to do that. Otherwise, I’ll just keep the money in savings for next year,” he explained. Despite this season’s setback, Thomas said he plans to bring back the fireworks for New Year’s Eve 2027. NEW DETAILS: ‘Enormous structural damage’ seen after overnight fire at an Anchorage funeral home, AFD says‘We’ve definitely lost a good half of the building’, car wash comments on Friday fire 50 states, 50 peaks: Kentucky man sets sights on Alaska’s tallest peak to help raise awareness for brain cancer
Cancelled University Of Alaska Fairbanks New Year's Eve Thomas Fairbanks Fireworks Show Alaska Fireworks Nye Fireworks
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