Lake Elsinore Cancels Annual 4th Of July Fireworks Spectacular

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Lake Elsinore on Thursday announced its annual 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular has been canceled. The announcement comes after 745 additional cases of the new coronavirus and six more deaths were reported on Wednesday, the biggest one-day jump in cases that the county has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.

In a release, Lake Elsinore Mayor Brian Tisdale said the cancellation comes, in part, to quell the number of outside visitors entering the community for the fireworks show.

"In the last week, we have had a significant increase in outside visitors interested in coming to our City to watch the fireworks," Tisdale said in a statement. "We have seen first-hand what can happen when our community is overrun by visitors. We have limited resources and we have serious concerns about our ability to ensure the safety of our community."

Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser backed the decision, citing concerns over a lack of ICU bed capacity should hospitalizations spike alongside case numbers. Kaiser, along with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, now encourage families to celebrate the holiday at home without friends from other households.

Those who already have Night Lake Use Passes to watch the Fireworks Spectacular on the water are eligible for refunds. In a release, the City of Lake Elsinore said information regarding refunds will be posted on its website when it becomes available