The Park District of Forest Park held a fireworks show and concert on Thursday, Aug. 18 in front of its main administrative building, 7501 Harrison St.
Like many Chicago area municipalities, Forest Park cancelled its Fourth of July fireworks show in the wake of the mass shooting in Highland Park earlier that morning out of respect for the victims.
In a post on its official Facebook page, the park district announced that due “to safety concerns, the weather, and out of respect for the victims of today’s tragic event in Highland Park, Park District of Forest Park staff and the FP Police Department have decided that it would be best to postpone tonight’s event and fireworks show until a later date.”
Jackie Iovinelli, park district executive director, told the Review that, when it cancelled the show, the company the district hired to put on the show, Mad Bomber Fireworks Productions, “was gracious enough to allow us to reschedule.”
“We decided a date based on their availability,” Iovinelli added. “We wanted to stay away from weekends and holidays, and [we wanted to schedule it] before the local school district went back to school.”
While Proviso Township High School District 209’s first day of school is on Sept. 1, Forest Park Elementary School District 91’s first day of school was Aug. 23.
The original Independence Day fireworks show had the Good Clean Fun duet booked for entertainment, and there were supposed to be concessions. This End Up, a Naperville rock band, played instead, performing between 6:30 and 8 p.m. The fireworks started at dusk.
