Rain, waves drown Whitefish’s fireworks show

Wind-driven lake swells, rain and lightning were blamed on the 11th-hour cancellation of the Fourth of July fireworks display in Whitefish on Tuesday night.

The annual pyrotechnics show over Whitefish Lake was called off about 10 minutes prior to the scheduled 10:30 p.m. start. The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, which organizes and raises funds for the display, posted a cancellation message on Facebook. People gathered at City Beach were informed of the situation by park personnel and police officers using a public address system.

On Wednesday, the chamber explained that the decision was made after a powerful storm hit the area just before 9 p.m.

“Within five minutes, crews preparing for the 10:30 p.m. fireworks show were dealing with swells estimated at 3-4 feet, sending waves crashing over the fireworks barge and nearly capsizing the crew's launch boat,” a statement from the chamber explained.

The boat safely made it back shore, where the crew rode out the storm shortly after 10 p.m.

"At that point the wind had calmed down," Whitefish Chamber Executive Director Kevin Gartland said, "but it was still raining and the weather service was reporting a continuing chance of lightning in the area until midnight."

Gartland said waves had waterlogged the fireworks cannons and shells, “making it impossible to actually ‘fire’ the show.”

"We apologize to the thousands of diehard folks who braved the elements to come out for the show," Gartland said. "Like them, we were extremely disappointed to have to cancel the display, but we had no other choice."

The fireworks display will not be rescheduled.