End of the boom: Why Naples decided to end its New Year’s Eve fireworks

(This story has been updated with new information)

The City of Naples has ended its annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display, citing traffic congestion, safety and other concerns.

The popular event draws about 20,000 people every year to the city’s beaches to watch the fireworks launch near Naples Pier.

The city ― which for decades held the fireworks display to ring in the new year ― announced the news Wednesday on social media and its website.

Why did Naples cancel New Year's Eve fireworks?

Parking and traffic congestion are two of the biggest reasons for the move, according to the city's Facebook post. “December is one of the busiest months in Naples, with high volumes of seasonal visitors and New Year’s Eve gatherings adding to the demand.”

The city also cited public safety demands and the event’s impact on boating access.

“The Naples Police Department is already managing increased holiday traffic and local events, making it difficult to allocate resources for a large-scale event like this,” the post said. “(And) preparing for the fireworks requires Naples Landing to remain closed for at least 36 hours, which is disruptive during one of the peak months for boating in our area.”

The city made the decision after “careful consideration” of those and other factors, the post said. "We appreciate the community’s understanding as we prioritize safety, accessibility, and resource management during this busy time of year.”

City leaders discussed discontinuing the fireworks at the Sept. 18 Naples City Council meeting. Police Chief Ciro Dominguez expressed concerns about the New Year’s Eve event, citing strained police resources due to increased traffic, large gatherings and drinking and driving, according to the minutes from the meeting.

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"Police Chief Dominguez noted last year’s New Year’s Eve show reflected staffing costs of $141,100," the minutes state, "and he proposed reallocating part of those funds to hire 10-12 additional officers for New Year’s Eve patrols, focusing on key areas and noise complaints and allowing remaining funds to be used elsewhere."

Dominguez recommended canceling the New Year’s Eve show, but he approved the Fourth of July fireworks — which he said are more family-oriented.

Naples has canceled fireworks in the past, including in 2022 after Hurricane Ian damaged the Naples Pier.

Can you see fireworks elsewhere in Southwest Florida?

Despite Naples canceling the annual tradition, fireworks displays are still happening elsewhere in Southwest Florida. Major New Year's Eve events are scheduled for Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach.

All three events will feature fireworks, food, live music and other activities.

To learn more, visit facebook.com/@capecoralspecialevents (Cape Coral), fortmyersbeach.org (Fort Myers Beach) or facebook.com/RiverDistrictAlliance (Fort Myers, details to be announced).

Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 or email him at crunnells@gannett.com. Follow or message him on social media at (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7).

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Will Naples have New Years Eve fireworks this year?