If you’re looking for New Year’s Eve fireworks on Fort Myers Beach, you’re out of luck.
They won’t be happening this year.
The Fort Myers Beach Town Council made the decision this summer to cancel the 2025 New Year’s Eve fireworks, says town public information officer Abigail Eberhart. The decision doesn’t appear to have been publicized much, though.
Why Fort Myers Beach canceled its New Year’s Eve fireworks
The reason for canceling the popular event: Getting the town’s budget under control and balanced.
“(New town manager) Will McKannay came in, and he said the town is not in a good fiscal position…” Eberhart says. “And he came up with a list of options for the council to vote on — ways that we could get the budget in the green.
“And the fireworks was the No. 1 thing that came up as being the best and easiest to cut.”
The annual fireworks display costs about $100,000-$120,000, mostly for the cost of the barge used as a base from which to shoot the fireworks, Eberhart says. In the past, the fireworks were usually launched from the Fort Myers Beach Pier near Times Square, but the pier was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022.
“And so the name of the game here, really, for the town manager is fiscal responsibility,” Eberhart says. “He wants to get this town in a position so that, in the future, we can have the fireworks (for New Year’s Eve). Or for the Fourth of July, we can have the fireworks. But at the moment, it was purely a fiscal decision.”
The town brought back its New Year’s Eve fireworks display in 2023 after Hurricane Ian scrapped the 2022 event. But two years later, it’s been canceled again.
Attempt to save Fort Myers Beach’s NYE fireworks
A group of Beach area business owners and donors tried to raise the money to save the event, Eberhart says, but they weren’t able to raise enough money.
“It’s a group of local business owners, local donors,” she says, “just individuals that love the fireworks and are sad that they’re not happening this year.”
In the future, the town’s fireworks displays likely will split the cost between the town and private citizens, Eberhart says.
“When it does come back, we do think that it will be a combined effort of town and organizations or private residents,” she says. “We think the town needs to be more fiscally responsible moving forward…
“The new town manager runs a tight ship, and he really wants to get the cost down pretty significantly. And so we really don’t want to shoulder the costs in perpetuity.”
Other New Year’s Eve events in Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Cape Coral
The Fort Myers Beach fireworks display may have been canceled, but there are other ways to see fireworks and have fun on New Year’s Eve. Here are three options:
Fort Myers’ Downtown Countdown
This huge outdoor party features a midnight ball drop with fireworks, live music, a deejay, food trucks and vendors, and more. The band lineup includes Smack Daddy, School of Rock Fort Myers, Chasing Denver and The Theos. Many downtown bars and venues will also have live bands, drink specials and more. 6-12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31. Free. First and Hendry streets in downtown Fort Myers. myriverdistrict.com/event/nye-celebration
Cape Coral New Year’s Eve Celebration with Pop 2000 Tour
The City of Cape Coral hosts this annual, family-friendly street festival with headlining act the Pop 2000 Tour, a touring show that includes late ‘90s/early 2000s pop acts Chris Kirkpatrick of NSYNC, O-Town, Ryan Cabrera and LFO. The festival also has fireworks, more live music, a deejay, food vendors, games, activities for kids and two separate ball drops (8 p.m. for the kids, and midnight for the adults). Takes place 6 p.m. to midnight Wednesday, Dec. 31. Free. Southeast 47th Terrace between S.E. 9th Place and S.E. 11th Place, downtown Cape Coral. capecoralnye.com
New Year’s Eve ball drop at La Ola
La Ola Surfside brings back a Fort Myers Beach tradition with this midnight ball drop and New Year’s Eve party. Plus live music, dancing and free sparkling wine at midnight. The musical line-up includes Jay St. Aubin (noon to 3 p.m.), Cariees Ries (4-8 p.m.) and Johnnie Walker (9 p.m. to midnight). The event takes place noon to midnight Wednesday, Dec. 31. Free. La Ola Surfside in Times Square, 1035 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. 765-2222 or facebook.com/LaOlaSurfside
Charles Runnells covers arts and entertainment for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. To reach him, call 239-335-0368 or email crunnells@usatodayco.com. Follow or message him on Facebook(@charles.runnells.7), Instagram (@crunnells1) and X (@CharlesRunnells).
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Fort Myers Beach fireworks aren’t happening New Year’s Eve. Here’s why
Reporting by Charles Runnells, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
