Evanston residents watched as the parade marched down the streets and fireworks lit the sky. The celebration, a 91-year-old tradition, has continued through rough economic times, even without city funding.
The Evanston Fourth of July Association is a non-for-profit organization that runs Evanston’s Independence Day activities, including the parade and the fireworks. The organization relies solely on fundraising to cover the costs of the celebration.
Michael Arrington, president of the Arrington Foundation and a lifelong resident of Evanston, has sponsored the event since 1979.
“This is not a required service,” Arrington said. “Our city has had budgetary issues too- pension issues, salary issues. The city needs to function and all the money that would be spent on the Fourth of July celebration would be money that would need to be used for city services.”
Arrington’s devotion to the celebration stems from his prior experience in the Marines and his lifelong residency in Evanston. “It means that freedom is not free,” Arrington said about Independence Day. “Freedom comes at a cost. A lot of brave young men and women serve our country every day. The freedoms that we have in our young nation compared to other nations is something to be very proud of.”
Celebration Manager of the Evanston Fourth of July Association Katie Lee Fester explained that even with the tough economic times, the organization has maintained their celebration.
“Finances have been tight because of the economy,” Fester said. “We’ve been fortunate with donations and managing our finances to not have had an impact on the organization as a whole.”
Last year, the Association’s expenses totaled $76,597, which included $22,800 for the fireworks, according to guidestar.org. The fireworks cost about $1,000 per minute and the shows runs around 20-25 minutes.
“The parade cost varies based on how much we are able to raise. We have some paid performers, and we charge a modest fee for most groups to participate,” Fester said.
Martha Logan, public information specialist for the City of Evanston, said that the city would once again be supporting the Association through in-kind donations, including police and fire officials to maintain the safety of participants and spectators.
“The city does support the event because it is citywide, there are events in various parts of town, and inclusive of all ages, and it’s important for recreation and civic pride,” Logan said. “They do a lot of work to try and make people understand that people’s tax dollars are not being spent toward the fireworks or toward running the parade.”
Logan added, “It’s one of the best celebrations in the nation.”
