Crested Butte still considering its own, smaller fireworks show

Soap Box Derby postponed

According to Crested Butte Mayor Leah Williams, the town council is split on whether or not to put on its own fireworks show this Fourth of July. The Mt. Crested Butte Town Council ponied up the money and snagged the big fireworks show that is in part organized by the local Chamber of Commerce.
“We will be talking about what to do at our meeting this Monday,” Williams said. “Some on the council want to spend $6,000 and have a smaller display that originates down here before the large show on the mountain. So we might end up doing our own. We’ve had feedback from people who are willing to contribute toward the downtown fireworks so they don’t have to get caught in the traffic jam that occurred last year after the fireworks on the mountain.”
Councilmember Phoebe Wilson was organizing a local Soap Box Derby event to help raise money toward Crested Butte fireworks. Given the uncertainty, that event is being postponed until the fall.
“Once Mt. Crested Butte decided to have it up there, I felt the legs were taken out from under the derby since it was tied to raising money for fireworks,” said Wilson. “Plus bringing the kids into something this politically charged might be rough. We’ll have the event this September and it will be a fundraiser for the Youth Council.”
Williams agreed with that decision. “It’s hard to generate enthusiasm for the fundraiser if the fireworks aren’t going to happen down here,” said Williams. “It’s all still in limbo.”
So the debate will continue— this time at the Crested Butte Town Council meeting on the evening of Monday, June 7. The discussion is listed on the agenda to start at 9:25 p.m.