Fireworks shows across the Florida Keys are getting a boost from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council in 2027 and beyond.
At the council’s Aug. 24 meeting, members voted unanimously to set aside $25,000 per year for each of its five tourism districts to help pay for Independence Day fireworks shows on July 3 and 4, a compromise reached after District Advisory Committee (DAC) 1 declined to recommend funding for a Key West celebration.
The Rotary Club of Key West had asked the TDC for $75,000 as a “turnkey” event — $45,000 for fireworks and $30,000 for marketing — but the application scored too low with DAC 1 to advance. While some attendees attributed the denial to confusion throughout the process, others pushed back, stating the “application simply did not score well enough to be funded.”
Board members debated whether overriding the work of the DAC’s funding recommendation would set a poor precedent and appear unfair to other applicants.
“What I don’t want to see us doing is an end-around where something was already decided, and then we’re making a consideration,” said DAC 1 chair Steve Robbins. “It has nothing to do with fireworks, it’s about every application that fails to score accordingly.”
Instead, the board proposed a broader solution with unanimous support: a flat $25,000 for each DAC, earmarked for Fourth of July fireworks celebrations.
They clarified that while the approach mirrors a $15,000 annual donation from the Key West Airport to the Rotary Club or Chamber of Commerce in each district in support of Independence Day celebrations, the new funding would not affect the existing amount.
While supportive of the new funding, board chair Diane Schmidt reminded the council that the shows wouldn’t necessarily put new “heads in beds” and market the island chain – widely recognized as the goal of the TDC.
“(But) I think the visitors that are here enjoy the fireworks, and they would expect it at any destination they go to,” Schmidt said.
“This is a way for the TDC to give back to our local families, who sometimes don’t have a very positive view of the TDC or tourist dollars,” said board member Robyn Still. “That would be a way for us to build some relationships.”
