Appleton scales back July 3 festivities after Jaycees withdraw as event organizer
APPLETON — People who planned to spend the day before the Fourth of July drinking beer, eating food and listening to live music at Appleton's Memorial Park might need to make new plans.
While the city's annual fireworks display will happen on July 3 as in the past, the organized daytime activities at the park no longer are in the works. That means no beer or food for sale, and no bands.
The nonprofit Appleton Area Jaycees had run those activities for decades and used the proceeds to fund its charitable causes, but 2023 was the group's last go at it.
"The Jaycees informed the city several months ago that they were not going to be in a position to continue to do that event," Mayor Jake Woodford told The Post-Crescent. "After talking to some prospective organizations, ultimately what we decided to do was to make that a city-organized event" under the Parks and Recreation Department.
Woodford said event will be scaled back to focus solely on the fireworks display. Festival Foods will stay on as the main sponsor of the fireworks.
"We're not going to have beer sales or anything like that in the park," Woodford said. "Hopefully, it's still a great event for the community. It's just going to look a little bit different."
The Post-Crescent attempted to interview representatives of the Jaycees, but calls and an email were not returned.
In a previous Facebook post, the group said, "Times are tough, and due to lack of funds, sponsors, support and volunteers, we have been driven to make this difficult decision. Our organization feels that we are now stretched too thin to do this large event the proper justice."
Appleton provides public safety and logistical support for the July 3 event, and that will continue. Otherwise, there is no city money budgeted to replace what the Jaycees formerly offered.
"I think they booked five or six bands, had food vendors and beer vendors and lots of porta-potties and things like that because it was more of a festival event," Woodford said. "We won't have any of those expenses."
Weather permitting, the Festival Foods Fireworks will light up the sky starting at 9:45 p.m. July 3 at Memorial Park, 1620 E. Witzke Blvd.
Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DukeBehnke.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Appleton scales back July 3 event after Jaycees bow out as organizer
