TAMPA, Fla. — This weekend, July 4 will have folks all over the Tampa Bay area looking up to the skies.
Not only for fireworks, but for any signs of Elsa heading our way.
Local businesses hope this year’s “boom” will help make up for last year‘s bust even as they keep an eye on Elsa’s path.
“The higher the traffic, the better, in my opinion,” said Leah Chevis, who operates a restaurant in Tampa’s Sparkman’s Wharf.
Chevis hopes this weekend’s Boom by the Bay event, will be a boom for her business.
“Really excited just to have people to be able to re-experience being outside and being together, which is everything we tried to promote before Covid hit,” said Chevis.
The boom in 2020 was a total bust thanks to the pandemic. In 2019 it wasn’t much better thanks to the rain but at least it cleared in time for fireworks.
This year, businesses hope Elsa doesn’t spoil the party.
“These big events are such a big draw,” said restaurant operator Lindsay Ingraham. “And they can really make or break little businesses like ours.”
There are major 4th of July events scheduled on both sides of the bay this weekend.
And while Elsa’s not expected to rain on any Independence Day parades, it has city leaders balancing resources by planning for big holiday events while simultaneously preparing for a possible storm.
“We can multitask. Our staff is very talented,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “And hopefully we won’t have to, but if we do, we’re ready for it.”
“We’ll make it all happen, and, as we always do, it will be a safe event regardless of whether we’re talking about fireworks display or the response to a weather incident,” said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.
Mayor Castor says people in the industry have told her that this year's fireworks display in Tampa is one of the five largest taking place across the nation this year.
But none of those other regions have to concern themselves with a possible hurricane.
So, while encouraging people to come out and plan for a good time, Tampa Bay leaders also want the public, like them, to have a storm plan ready to go as well.
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