The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce announced on Monday that its annual Fourth of July display is canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
"After working for more than a month to try and save our community's Independence Day Fireworks Show, Chamber officials on Wednesday officially 'pulled the plug' on this year's event," the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce wrote on Facebook.
Officials late last month determined that the event couldn't be held safely because it typically draws 3,000-4,000 people to Whitefish City Beach and social distancing guidelines "would be impossible to enforce."
The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce said they explored other location options and worked with the health department but each alternate location was also deemed unfit for relocation.
"This is the last thing we wanted to do," executive director Kevin Gartland said in the post. "I apologize to our residents -- and visitors -- that we couldn't get it done."
Gartland thanked city and county officials for their assistance and pledged that the event will be back in 2021 "bigger and better than ever."
