The South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce supports the effort to hold Fourth of July fireworks on the South Shore.

While we were disappointed that the normal “Lights on the Lake” event was canceled again this year, we were excited to hear a group of locals and businesses had already stepped up to put on a smaller fireworks display in the casino corridor on July Fourth and we are proud to offer support and money to this effort.

Our chamber feels that the fireworks show is not only a big draw for tourists to the area, who then stay in local hotels, eat at local restaurants, shop at local stores … but also is enjoyed by many of our local residents. Many locals were excited to finally get to spend a maskless (if they have been vaccinated) holiday out and about with others and start to put behind them the troubles of 2020. Local businesses were looking forward to continuing to make up for lost income and use the holiday as a way to try and get out of the financial hole caused by 2020 and the multiple shutdowns and restrictions.

While there may not be a huge financial impact to our local businesses this year, since most people already have their reservations and a vast majority probably wouldn’t cancel just because the fireworks aren’t happening, our worry is that this would set a precedent and affect businesses in the years to come. It’s easy to say this will just be a one-year thing. But that is what was said last year.

This years fireworks won’t be as grand as the normal “Lights on the Lake,” but we hope they will offer a brief respite to those in attendance and put a smile on their faces as they remember how things were and are given hope of things to come.

Be safe, get vaccinated or wear a mask, and get out there and enjoy the lake. Sincerely,

Amanda Adams is president of the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce.