Alcoa commissioners have agreed the price of a FreedomFest 2024 is too high to pull off this fiscal year. Fireworks alone cost $85,000 last year, and corporate sponsors, city staff said, aren’t biting this time.
The city announced the decision hours after a Friday, Jan. 26 city manager’s briefing where Alcoa Commissioners discussed options.
“Several months ago, during our annual budgeting process at the City of Alcoa, decisions were made to address upcoming citywide projects and financial obligations. Unfortunately, this led to the difficult decision to postpone FreedomFest 2024,” city representatives said in a release posted to Facebook.
Last year was the first time since the pandemic that the city welcomed 20,000 people to the Alcoa Duck Pond to celebrate the nation’s birthday. The total cost to the city then was $130,000, according to a graphic shown to commissioners at the briefing.
Alcoa officials removed the celebration from the 2024 budget so the numbers would balance after commissioners reduced the city property tax rate in June.