Despite planning challenges, officials count Aurora fireworks show a success

Chicago Tribune

10-07-2025

Undeterred by the closure of RiverEdge Park, thousands filled parks and parking lots near downtown Aurora last Friday night to watch fireworks whiz, bang and boom over the Fox River.
The annual Independence Day fireworks show put on by the city of Aurora typically uses RiverEdge Park as one of its official viewing spots, but the park is closed for renovations this year, which made planning for the event more difficult, Aurora Director of Community Events Mike Nelson told The Beacon-News.
However, despite the planning challenges, Nelson considers the fireworks show a success.
'Kids and families loved it, so that to me is just a win,' he said.
In place of RiverEdge Park, the city closed down the Aurora Transportation Center's parking lot to use as one of two official viewing locations. City staff weren't sure what kind of turnout to expect since that lot is where people typically park for the fireworks show, but Nelson said he was happy to see about 2,500 people in attendance.
Nelson was also happy to learn that the other official fireworks viewing spot, McCullough Park, saw 5,000 attendees. That's roughly double the amount of people who typically watch the fireworks show at the park, he said.
On Friday evening, before the show began, adults could be seen lounging on lawn chairs or picnic blankets across McCullough Park's lawn while children ran around and played, some trying to catch fireflies that lit up like miniature versions of the fireworks to come.
Nelson said that city staff had a feeling more people would show up to the park this year, so they 'simplified' operations by not putting up the typical inflatables and other activities for kids.
'I'm so glad we did because we had an overwhelming number of guests there,' he said.
People also found other, unofficial spots to watch the fireworks. Nelson said Northgate shopping center's parking lot also filled up with those looking to see the show.
'Even when you throw a big curveball like shutting down the train station parking lot and eliminating that source of parking, Aurorans still show up,' he said. 'They love the Fourth. They love the fireworks.'
Those fireworks this year cost around $46,000, according to Nelson. The city has been working with fireworks company Pyrotechnico for over a decade, he said, and it is currently at the start of a new three-year contract with them.
Planning for the annual Independence Day fireworks show, which Nelson called one of the greatest around, starts at the very beginning of January, he said. Both the fireworks and the Fourth of July parade are planned at the same time, he said, since it is sort of like one event spread across two days.
The two Independence Day celebrations take place on different days for manpower reasons, according to Nelson.
'Each event takes so much in terms of resources and whatnot, and it's just gotten too complex for us to be able to pull both off in one day,' he said.
It took 'an incredible amount of city staff and resources' to pull off the switch from RiverEdge Park to the Aurora Transportation Center's parking lot as an official fireworks viewing location, Nelson said, especially since it contains a Metra stop that is very busy.
It was a big operation to inform Metra riders, work with Metra and work with various city divisions to get the parking lot cleared and shut down appropriately and safely, he said.
On the night of the fireworks, both official viewing locations had food trucks and DJs who played a special soundtrack created to accompany the show. But there were many more people working that night.
Nelson said around 50 police officers were on-duty, as were other city employees, including the six people on his own team, maintenance crews, the train station team, the communications team and staff from the mayor's office.
When asked how much more difficult planning for the fireworks show was this year compared to past years when RiverEdge Park was open, Nelson called it a 'night and day' difference both because they were inconveniencing Metra riders and because they were basically removing their main source of parking for the event.
To help with the parking issue, the city this year beefed up the event's shuttle ride service and pushed that service in messaging about the fireworks show, he said.
Change might be hard, Nelson said, but 'you pull it off no matter what.' However, he is looking forward to next year, with RiverEdge Park renovated and able to hold even more people than it did in years past.
'I can only imagine how awesome its going to be,' he said.
Just days after the Independence Day celebrations, Nelson's team is already on to the next project: planning for the holidays. He said on Monday that all the chaos of planning for those events was set to begin the very next day at 10 a.m.