A short fireworks display was lofted from Marine Park next to the Monmouth Boat Club Thursday night.
Organizers of KaBoom Fireworks, Red Bank’s largest public event, are asking the public to dig deep for contributions this year.
The event has been struggling to drum up support from corporations and other traditional large donors who in the past have jumpstarted fundraising to cover the cost of the July 3 fireworks show, one of the largest in the United States.
“We are not getting the kind of corporate contributions we have gotten in the past,” event chairman Peter Reinhardt told a gathering of event supporters last night at the Monmouth Boat Club. “Without that, the future of the fireworks is in danger.”
Scenes from last night’s fundraiser. (Click to enlarge)
The difficulty raising money was evident at the event, which drew a smaller crowd than in recent years. A fundraising auction generated tepid bidding on items like jewelry and vacations.
The tab for the KaBoom show, which annually draws some 175,000 visitors to Red Bank and its environs, is now about $200,000, officials say. No government money is used to pay for the show, which is staged by Garden State Fireworks of Millington and involves more than 10,000 shells.
Supporters may send in contributions by check or via PayPal. A fundraising dinner is scheduled for May 21 at the Atrium at Navesink Harbor’s ‘Windows on the Navesink’ dining room.
