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The town of Windsor announced on its Facebook page just before 6 p.m. on July 2 that the fireworks show set to cap off the town’s Independence Day event on July 4 had been canceled.

The Facebook post stated, “Due to circumstances beyond the town’s control, the vendor will not be able to perform the fireworks show for the July 4th celebration; however, all other activities will take place as planned.”

Members of the Town of Windsor Events Committee shared further details.

Windsor Town Manager William Saunders said, “We provided a signed contract to the vendor for the July 4, 2024, show back in February. This vendor did our display last July 4 and had done the Windsor displays several times pre-pandemic.”

He noted that the vendor had been paid in full for this year’s July 4 show.

“I was contacted by the vendor at around 4:15 p.m. (on July 2) to notify us that they were not able to provide employees with the appropriate licensing for our display and ultimately canceled our show,” he said.

Fellow Events Committee member Danielle Craig said the vendor attempted to partner with an additional company to make the fireworks show happen, “and it just didn’t line up.”

Windsor is in the midst of a multi-year effort to revitalize its popular Fourth of July Celebration in the wake of the event’s forced hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saunders affirmed that the cancellation of a big draw like the fireworks show was notably discouraging.

“It’s just out of everybody’s hands,” Craig said. “We want to make sure that we have a licensed person on-site for the safety of our citizens and in accordance with the state.”

She noted that the town’s Events Committee shares in the disappointment of the citizens who were looking forward to the show.