July 4th celebrations across North Carolina being canceled, even as state reopens

If your community has not already canceled its Fourth of July celebration in North Carolina, brace yourself for the inevitable.

One of the nation’s most popular national holidays is rapidly falling victim to the COVID-19 pandemic, as fears grow of crowds spreading the virus while watching parades and fireworks displays.

The towns across N.C. announcing cancellations include: Elizabeth City, Garner, Emerald Isle, Harrisburg, Duck, Ocracoke and Swansboro.

Raleigh appears set to join the list, with a proposed budget that calls for canceling the Fourth of July fireworks celebration at the N.C. State Fairgrounds, the News & Observer reported this week.

All are following the lead of Southport, which announced its cancellation April 7, almost three months in advance. It was among the first cities in the nation to cancel Independence Day events, prompting social media backlash that accused city officials of being too hasty.

“When all the businesses in Southport fail because you made a premature decision ... there won’t be much reason to come back to Southport ever again,” Colleen Combs posted on Facebook after the announcement. “You need to reverse this decision asap.”

Coronavirus has infected more than 1.5 million in the United States and killed just under 94,000 as of May 21, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. In North Carolina, more than 700 deaths have been blamed on the virus, while nearly 12,000 people have recovered, the data showed Thursday.

Southport, 160 miles southeast of Raleigh, went even further, canceling all events through Labor Day. That’s Sept. 7. Southport Mayor Joseph Hatem said in a Facebook post that he believed it would save lives.

Officials in the town of Garner, about 14 miles southeast of Raleigh, said their decision was based in part on not knowing if the governor’s phased reopening of the state would be completed in time for its July 3 fireworks display.

Phase Two of the reopening starts Friday, May 22, and continues to limit gatherings to “no more than 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors,” according to a state press release. “These limits apply to the following: event venues; conference centers; stadiums and sports arenas; amphitheaters; and groups at parks or beaches,” according the release.

“The Town is hoping to reschedule the fireworks portion of the celebration for later in the year, but no final decision has been made,” Garner officials said in a release posted on Facebook.

Swansboro says it considered postponing its fireworks display, but decided it “was not a viable option” because global health experts suggest crowds should be discouraged “until at least August.”

“As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, it is becoming clear that in the face of an unprecedented situation, we need to make tough choices,” Swansboro officials said in a release. “The well-being of our community has to be the number one concern, and that drove our decision-making.”

This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 12:08 PM with the headline "July 4th celebrations across North Carolina being canceled, even as state reopens."