(The Center Square) — The Port of San Diego is hosting its annual Fourth of July fireworks show despite California’s environmental crackdown on firework displays at beaches.
The port received a coastal development permit in February from the California Coastal Commission to display fireworks for the Big Bay Boom, the largest fireworks show on the West Coast, after concerns regarding the environmental impact of large firework shows in San Diego began to increase. The permit is issued for 2025 and 2026 and comes with requirements the port must adhere to in order to display fireworks. The port is meeting those requirements, allowing the port to keep San Diego’s largest Independence Day celebration going for another year.
“This is a celebration, once a year, of the birth of our country, and we think it’s a very special day and can be celebrated best with fireworks,” H.P. “Sandy” Purdon, executive producer and founder of Port of San Diego Big Bay Boom July 4th Fireworks Show, told The Center Square Thursday.
The fireworks in the Big Bay Boom are launched simultaneously from four barges placed at different locations on the northside of San Diego Bay. These locations are Shelter Island, Harbor Island, North Embarcadero and South Embarcadero. Other locations where you can see the fireworks include the Coronado Ferry Landing and Marina District.
The show is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. Pacific time and last roughly 18 minutes. Viewers can also watch the show while listening to music broadcast live on 91X FM radio.
The Big Bay Boom attracts hundreds of thousands of people each year, with roughly 500,000 people attending last year’s show, according to the Big Bay Boom website. Port of San Diego Board Chair Danielle Moore told The Center Square on Thursday the show is important because of the amount of people it attracts and its ability to “bring in people from all different backgrounds.”
“The Big Bay Boom is a tradition that lights up our skyline, supports local businesses and brings our community together along our beautiful San Diego Bay,” Moore said in an earlier statement.
Purdon said many businesses and nonprofits such as the Maritime Museum of San Diego and the USS Midway Museum like the show because it brings them a lot of visitors. Purdon added the Big Bay Boom has many sponsors because the show helps businesses financially that are along the Bay.
The economic impact of the 2024 Big Bay Boom to the San Diego region totaled $10.6 million from non-local attendees, according to the 2024 San Diego Big Bay Boom Economic Impact Report. Of the total money generated, $10 million was from money spent by non-locals in the Port of San Diego and $600,000 was from local tax revenues generated for the city and county of San Diego. The overall economic impact of the 2024 Big Bay Boom totaled $100 million from non-locals attendees.
Despite the Big Bay Boom’s popularity, Purdon said the port had to jump through many hoops to put on the show this year. That is because local nonprofits such as San Diego CoastKeeper have concerns about large firework shows over water and have pushed for the implementation of more state regulation protecting ocean water quality and marine life. The fireworks show organizers had to implement sound and wildlife monitoring reports, water quality testing and debris cleanup.
The port was already putting in a lot of effort in the past to ensure the environmental impact of the Big Bay Bang was minimal, Purdon said.
“We do a huge debris pick up,” he said. “We have eight boats out on the water after the show with pull sweeps trying to find debris, and the next day, we have divers that go down to look for debris. We also have a big nonprofit called Poseidon Education that cleans the shoreline the next day.”
Moore said the port is looking into alternatives to a fireworks show for the 2027 Big Bay Boom so the port can continue to put on a show despite more environmental regulations.
“Some of the things that we want to do in the future to make this is a sustainable event is to make sure we are exploring aerial light and drone shows to potentially mitigate some of the impacts of fireworks,” Moore said.
Moore also said the port was leaning toward the idea of having a drone show in 2027, but needed to do more research.
Purdon, on the other hand, said he is not in favor of having a drones show instead of fireworks. One of the reasons, he said, is because the bay is a natural amphitheater, and therefore, the Big Bay Boom needs to be a display with a 360-degree view. Drones can only be seen from one direction.
Purdon added drones are more hazardous to animals than fireworks because they attract birds rather than scare them away.
Purdon also said he is not in favor of drones because they don’t create as much excitement. If the Big Bay Boom is less exciting, fewer people will come, he said.
“Our feeling is that the drone can not really replace what we are doing,” Purdon said. “The drone show in Ocean Beach decided not to go forward with it after one year because it wasn’t that popular.”
Purdon said the main problem with having fewer attendees at the Big Bay Boom is less money will be raised for the Armed Services YMCA.
Purdon also said he believes the Big Bay Boom should continue to be a fireworks show in the future because the port has been meeting state environmental regulations.
“The Big Bay Boom is quite entertaining, but appropriate,” Purdon said. “And I think in our opinion it doesn’t impact the environment to the extent that it should be canceled.”
