To mark the end of a long tradition, the Fourth of July celebrations held in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena will not be participating in this year’s fireworks show. Instead, there will be a drone show.
The move comes as some venues switch from fireworks to drone performances (one of which had a carefully planned light show) to celebrate July 4.
But the drone performance was a little flat. Notably, Redondo Beach and Laguna Beach turned back to fireworks after trying drone performances, with some promoters of fireworks criticizing the efforts to transition to drone performances.
This is a big change for Pasadena – the Rose Bowl Independence Day fireworks show is touted as one of the largest fireworks shows in the area, and can be seen not only in the stadium but also in the surrounding areas. A football match was ahead of the last two July 4 holidays before the fireworks show.
Prior to that, the Rose Bowl fireworks were the highlight of the most celebrated celebrations in decades, but the huge loss of the United States' most financial losses ended.
Pasadena City spokesman Lisa Derderian said in a news briefing Wednesday that besides the first year of the pandemic, “it’s the first in many years – I’ve been here for 23 years – and it’s our first year without fireworks on the Rose Bowl.” “There will be a drone show. If you attend an event, you won’t be able to see it from outside the Rose Bowl.”
In further changes, football matches will not be held this year in the Rose Bowl on Independence Day. Galaxy-LAFC competitions were held in 2023 and 2024. Instead, the venue will host Foodieland's food and entertainment festival.
Derderian urged people not to go to the area around the Rose Bowl unless they have cutlery.
This change is due to concerns that fireworks can cause unhealthy air. The South Coast Air Quality Management District previously said that from July 4 to 5, pollution levels of fine particles soared, the worst of the year.
Fireworks show in other parts of California, including San Diego and San Francisco remains a major staple.
But in Long Beach, this year could be the last big explosion of the Bay Fireworks show. The California Coastal Commission approved the licence for the event on May 9 and provided a major condition. A 20-minute fireworks display launched from a barge in Alamitos Bay will be abandoned in support of the drone exhibition from 2026 to 2029.
“This year may be the last year for Bay Fireworks,” the event's website said, raising funds for nonprofits that benefit Long Beach youth.
According to a Coastal Commission staff report, the Big Bang has been held every year since 2011, following the city of Long Beach ending a fireworks display at the Veterans Stadium in North Long Beach.
The committee staff said in a speech that birds were disturbed in past fireworks performances, “A recent study concluded that fireworks can lead to abandonment of nests, causing the freshly-official birds to fall from the nest and causing the birds to suffer from damaged sleep and increased distress, alertness and fear.” Staff also expressed concerns about the landing of firework debris in the environment and concluded that “drone displays can lead to adverse environmental impacts.”
The event's organizer, restaurateur John Morris, told the commissioner at a May 9 meeting that he was willing to donate to future drone shows.
“I just have a mindset, I'm a fireworks smoke. I've raised money from all the houses around the bay,” Morris said at the meeting. “I have 300 houses around the bay to write checks. … Half of them will write checks for drones? I don't know. If that means, I'll try.”
But he noted that both Redodo Beach and Laguna Beach returned to the fireworks after trying a drone show. “I love watching drone shows,” he said. “I've seen a few. They're great, but they're not on July 4.”
During the May meeting, Justin Cummings, chairman of the Coastal Commission, said drones showed an appearance that they were viable alternatives to fireworks.
“We are seeing drone performances popping up around the country, and they do prove to be successful alternatives to fireworks,” Cummings, also director of Santa Cruz County, said at the conference. Cummings ended after the commission's term ended after the May meeting.
Compared to previous fireworks shows, the Commissioner asked to inform the 2026 drone show that any financial support for the decline.
Big Bay Boom in San Diego has been granted permission from the Coastal Commission to continue fireworks this year and the following year. But the February commissioner asked the show's organizers to study the transition to drone performances or other alternatives to fireworks smoke in 2027.
Coastal Commission staff said California’s fewest terns and their chicks became irritated and left their nests to run or fly during the San Diego fireworks last year. Staff also said that fireworks debris can damage the water quality, and wildlife may entangle themselves in the debris, or ingest it.
Times worker Karen Garcia contributed to the report.
