FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. – Following years of havoc surrounding all things fireworks, the Flagler Beach City Commission has agreed to a deal that would ensure a firework show on New Year’s Eve for the next three years. The deal is a $94,000 contract with My Three Sons, the firework vendor who produced the city’s show on New Year’s Eve last month.
An important factor in the commissioners’ discussion of the matter was the prospect of whether shows could continue on July 4th as well. That show in particular has been the source of great intrigue for years running, starting with the cancellation of the show in 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. There were hopes it could then resume in 2021, but the pandemic once again put a damper on things. In 2022, former City Manager William Whitson was slow to contact the city’s vendor, leading to an inability to coordinate the event in time. He was later fired in part due to that blunder.
In 2023, the Flagler Beach City Commission opted to financially support a firework show put on by the county government at the Flagler Executive Airport rather than try to hold a competing one within city limits. The Flagler Beach Pier had been heavily battered by hurricanes Ian and Nicole but was still usable for firework shows. Now, moving forward, it’s set to be demolished and rebuilt, eliminating it as a firework stage for the foreseeable future.
At the very least, residents can now look forward to having a show on New Year’s Eve, thanks to the contract approved on Thursday. My Three Sons have so far had a relatively issue-free relationship with both Flagler Beach and other local municipalities for their firework shows, and moving forward without drama has become a high priority for the city government in restoring trust from residents. The contract was worked out by City Manger Dale Martin with My Three Sons’ owner, Boynton Beach’s Josh Hite. It’s not completely finalized yet, as City Attorney Drew Smith was directed to rewrite the deal with a cancellation policy to protect the city and run it by Hite before signing.
