There will not be a fireworks display at the Whitewater Center on Memorial Day. Here’s why

North Carolina residents hoping to see the U.S. National Whitewater Center’s Memorial Day fireworks display on Sunday might have to wait until next year.

The recreation center, at 5000 Whitewater Center Parkway, announced last week that the annual fireworks display will not be a part of its Memorial Day celebration event.

The cancellation of the popular feature is due to “multiple abrupt changes” in the firework permitting process prescribed by Mecklenburg County and the city of Charlotte, the center said in a tweet.

The Memorial Day Trail Race, live music, yoga, and all other programming remain as previously scheduled, according to the center’s website.

The Charlotte Observer contacted the center for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

No recent changes have been implemented to the fireworks permit application process by the Mecklenburg County Fire Marshal’s office nor Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement, county spokeswoman Pamela Escobar said.

In reviewing the application for the 2022 Memorial Day fireworks display, the county was made aware of a potential law enforcement inability to provide adequate coverage for the event, according to Escobar.

Given this change, the county requested a written plan detailing preparedness and response plans for the event, including any law enforcement commitments, Escobar said. The presence of law enforcement among other first responders was “deemed critical” in the event of a security threat or the need for rapid evacuation of the site, she said.

The conversations between the county and the center focused around the county’s logic behind the need for emergency responders, including law enforcement “above and beyond” security and crowd management provided by the center’s staff, Escobar said. The dialogue concluded when the center withdrew its application, she said.

It is unclear if the center will have a fireworks display during next year’s Memorial Day event.