The popularity of Davidson’s town-sponsored July 4th fireworks display has led town officials to change their admission policy this year in hopes of reducing the size of the crowd. Residents will still get in free to the music and festivities at the end of South Street. But non-residents, including those with Davidson addresses beyond the town limits who do not pay Davidson taxes, will be charged $5.

Town officials said they are trying to curb attendance by non-residents. Last year’s July 4 fireworks at McEver Field attracted an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 people, Town Manager Leamon Brice said. The town did not have enough portable toilets or food and there wasn’t enough space on the grounds for all who attended. And police had to move some guests when they began blocking fire lanes by setting out blankets in the middle of South Street.

“This isn’t about the money,” Mr. Brice said. “It’s about trying to maintain a reasonable sized crowd.” He said the town wants to keep the event focused on Davidson families and taxpayers, so they can continue walking or biking to the field and enjoy the evening without disruption.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth with a parade from Town Hall to McEver Field. At 6:30, games and food stands open. Fireworks are scheduled around 9:15 p.m.

REVELERS HAVE FEW CHOICES

Davidson is not the first area town to find itself overwhelmed by crowds at public Independence Day fireworks events. And its dilemma may stem in part from other towns’ decisions in recent years to give up on crowded celebrations.

Cornelius and Huntersville sponsored a joint event at Kenton Place in Cornelius for several years. But that event, which had begun attracting tens of thousands of people from throughout the Lake Norman region, was canceled because of concerns similar to those facing Davidson.

“It just got so big, bringing with it all the traffic,” said Cornelius Town Manager Anthony Roberts.

“It got big, which in some aspects is good,” he said. But with the crowds – which he estimated at 10,000 to 15,000 or more – the towns found themselves spending more and more on police and other personnel to manage the automobile and pedestrian traffic.

And parking became a problem, he said. “You couldn’t find a spot,” he said.

Like last year, Davidson again will be the only town within about a 20-mile radius that offers a fireworks display on July 4.

This year, the only other fireworks displays nearby will be one on Thursday, July 3, at Lowe’s YMCA in Mooresville, and a private members-only fireworks celebration on Friday, July 4, at the Peninsula Club in Cornelius.

A manager at the Peninsula said the club grounds would be closed to non-members, though people could watch from boats on the lake.

The new policy has drawn fire from some residents of neighboring towns and from some who live in Davidson’s ETJ, or extra-territorial jurisdiction. That’s an area beyond the town limits where Davidson exercises planning authority, but collects no taxes. In email messages and privately, they have complained about the $5 admission.

PROCEDURE HAS SOME LEEWAY

Anyone who attends next month’s festivities will need a wristband to get through checkpoints and gates that will be set up along South and Walnut streets.

Taxpayers will be able to pick them up in advance June 16 to 30 at Town Hall, or the Parks & Recreation Department office on Armour Street. Also, Parks & Rec will set up booths at town events, including Concerts on the Green Sunday, June 15 and June 29, and at the June 21 and 28 Davidson Farmers Markets downtown. (See “comments” below for details on picking up your wristband)

Residents who pick up wristbands in advance will have to show a driver’s license or other proof of residence. Steve Fraher, director of Parks & Recreation, said families would be allowed to obtain passes for guests.

Non-residents will have to wait until the night of the event, July 4, to get their wristbands, at a cost of $5 each. (Children under 3 are free.) They’ll be available at main checkpoints into the site: Walnut Street at Spring Street and South and Spring streets. The town says they’ll operate two lines at the ticket booths – one for residents and one for non-residents.

Mr. Fraher said the policy matches the way Davidson handles registration for other parks & recreation classes and activities. “For two years now we’ve had non-resident fees for our programs, and the same applies to this,” Mr. Fraher said.

People with Davidson addresses but who live outside the town limits and pay no town taxes technically are subject to the $5 non-resident fee. But it’s not clear how tightly the town will police that rule on July 4.

Asked for clarification about the rule, town communications director Sara-Lynne Levine said this week the goal is to improve safety at the event, not to take time “checking people in and out.”

“If people say they live in town, we’re going to take them at their word. We’re not going to spend hours going over tax rolls and IDs,” she said.

Nonetheless, the town hopes the new policy will ease problems from last year.

WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR

Mr. Fraher said the town will spend about $31,000 on this year’s event, including fireworks, the band (Summerdaze), as well as games and other childrens’ amusements.

Town officials hope to continue the tradition of family-friendly festivities in the future. But they are concerned that they may not be able to handle crowds as large as or larger than last year. “The event started in 2001 as a way of providing a safe place for our residents to go to and not have to go out on the roads to travel to another location,” Mr. Fraher said.

He and other town staff discussed a variety of options this year, including not holding the event or co-sponsoring a celebration with other area towns. In the end, they decided to go ahead.

“This is a trial to see how well it works and to see what happens to the size of the crowd. We’ll evaluate the success and make a decision about what we will do next year,” he said.

TRAFFIC AND ACCESS CONTROL

Wristbands will be available at entrances on South Street and Walnut Street.

South Street will be closed at the Cornelius town line, at the entrance to the Antiquity development. Also, the Greenway at Avinger Lane also will be closed to traffic.

Shuttle buses will be available from Davidson College’s Baker Sports Complex parking lot, from the old Cotton Mill, from Davidson United Methodist Church and at parking lots along Main Street.

LINKS

Town makes changes to July 4 event, town website.

Also, a Q&A on the event, provided by the town, (Requires Adobe Reader software)