Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Thousands of people attend the Greater Bath Memorial Day Celebration in anticipation of good food, good music, classic cars and fantastic fireworks. Those who have attended the celebration since 2016 may have noticed that last year’s firework show was larger and grander than before. 

The grand finale of last year’s firework show was “the best ever,” according to Jason Pair who is president of the Greater Bath Foundation. The foundation is responsible for planning the annual celebration. 

Greater Bath Foundation partnered with Zambelli Fireworks, a professional fireworks display company which has produced fireworks and pyrotechnics displays across the United States and world, according to their website. The foundation recruited Zambelli after seeing their work at the NC Black Bear Festival in Plymouth, Pair said. 

The process for setting up the firework show takes several days, Pair explained. A 60ftx80ft barge is brought in by TJ’s Marine Construction which takes two days. A day-and-a-half is required to set up the equipment and fireworks. Then, a team of people assist with placing the barge in the middle of Bath Creek and keeping it anchored during the show. 

“It really takes an army to put on a show like this,” Pair said. 

The 40-minute show cost the foundation about $25,000. All of the funding needed to host the Greater Bath Memorial Day Celebration comes from donations. Pair said it was a challenge collecting money for the event, because of inflation and people growing tired of being asked to donate. 

“I think it’s also coming to a point where everybody’s being asked so much to donate stuff, especially businesses…We’re seeing it with the business part of things some of them have cut back because of a rising inflation,” Pair said. 

The Town of Bath contributes $500 to the event to cover the cost of insurance. 

Pair said with community support, the firework show and festivities during the day can be grand every year. 

“We can make it just as grand every year as long as we have support,” Pair said. 

The Greater Bath Memorial Day Celebration will be held on Saturday, May 27 at Bonner’s Point. The day’s events begin at 7 a.m. with Smokin’ on the Point barbecue competition. Barbecue sales begin at 11 a.m. Food and craft vendors will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. There will be a car and tractor show all day. Music concerts start at 4 p.m. with Cooper Greer. At 6 p.m. the Embers take the stage. The firework show finishes the night at 9 p.m. 

The Greater Bath Foundation was established in 2016 to help promote the town of Bath through tourism, beautification and hosting special events. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It was initially created to help raise money to improve wastewater service in the town. They were able to bring in $1.1 million with assistance from former Senator Bill Cook, Pair explained.