Mount Rushmore is celebrating Independence Day weekend just like the rest of us, with one major difference. There isn’t a firework show.
Mount Rushmore is hosting many different programs and activities July 3rd and 4th. Everything from presidential impersonators and flutists, to world champion hoop dancers. However, the celebration has not included a fireworks display for several years. Wanda Goodman is the Department of Tourism’s Deputy Secretary and she says safety concerns were behind the decision.
Goodman says, “You know it’s been dry the past few years. Also there’s been some concern with pine needles in the area and just some other fire dangers and things like that. So fireworks are no longer a part of that but they do like I said have a variety of other performances, they’ve got some great military bands coming in. They do a junior ranger ceremony, a military open enlistment ceremony, flag folding, so just a lot going on but yeah unfortunately they no longer do the fireworks.”
Goodman invites everyone to come enjoy the week and to find information at n-p-s dot gov slash m-o-r-u.