There will be no fireworks at the Ag Center this year.
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OKEECHOBEE — There will be no fireworks at the Ag Center this year.
Major Michael Hazellief has confirmed there will be no organized fireworks display this year.
Hazellief, who along with J.D. Mixon and the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police), has headed up the event for more than a decade, said after Mixon moved away, he did not feel able to handle it on his own.
Last year, the FOP went before the Board of County Commissioners and told them they would not be able to take charge of this anymore. “You wouldn’t believe what it takes to put it together and raise the funds to do it,” he said. Commissioner Frank DeCarlo reached out to several groups and was able to raise the funds to purchase the fireworks last year. “No public funds were used. It was all donations.”
They managed to do a smaller version of the annual event last year, but Hazellief said he is just not able to keep doing it.
“I called them in January to remind them that if they were going to do something, they needed to get started,” he said. "I needed to let Zambelli know.” Zambelli is the company that actually sets off the fireworks.
“It hurts me,” said Hazellief. “I think it’s been 14 or 15 years now.” They started out at Okee-Tantie and back then they had all kinds of events along with it, pie eating contests, baking contests, etc. He added that they had a lot of volunteers to help them put things together back then. “It was a big family event, no alcohol and free of charge to everyone.”
“It hurts me. It really does. But without J.D., I just couldn’t handle it all. He’s my ride or die guy.”
Hazellief said he agrees with not using tax dollars for the event, but he had hoped someone or an organization would step up and continue it.
‘I hate it and I’m sorry,” said Hazellief. “I just couldn’t do it this year. I have too many irons in the fire. I know I let a lot of people down. I let me down.”
Hazellief said he would love to hear from groups who want to take this on. “I would be glad to help them in any way I could.”
