OVIEDO, Fla. – Several Central Florida cities are hosting fireworks shows on July 4 - Sanford, Winter Springs, Celebration, St. Cloud, to name a few - but not Oviedo for a second year in a row.
The mayor got an earful last year after the city council’s decision to spend $46,000 of city funds — taxpayers dollars — on Oviedo’s fireworks celebration two days after July 4 in 2024.
Mayor Megan Sladek said Oviedo’s preferred fireworks vendor was unavailable on July 4 last year, so the city had to settle for July 6.
Ultimately, last year’s July 6 fireworks show drew a large crowd at the Oviedo Mall, but Sladek said the council would re-evaluate the July 6 date, the mall venue, and the cost to taxpayers. Sladek said she would like to see sponsors assist with footing the bill.
At the council’s Aug. 24 work session last year, councilmembers agreed to select the first Saturday in July for Oviedo’s future fireworks shows.
In 2026, the first Saturday in the month is July 4.
This year, the first Saturday falls on July 5.
“Can we call it something besides an Independence Day celebration?” Sladek asked fellow Councilmembers at the August workshop. “Because the Fourth of July is Independence Day. If we called it something else, people would be less annoyed by it.”
Councilmembers insisted that “nobody was annoyed, everyone had a great time!”
“I don’t think people were annoyed. There were thousands of people out there, and they were clearly celebrating,” another councilmember responded.
Sladek said she preferred that Oviedo on the Park host the fireworks instead of the Oviedo Mall.
“The place (Oviedo on the Park) that the taxpayers are still paying bonds on that’s supposed to be our town center that we’re not using for this, and we’re creating a situation where nobody can walk to this festival, very few people, some people can walk to the festival,” Sladek said.
Councilmembers eventually settled on the Mall because of the adequate parking, indoor space and large outdoor area to create a falling fireworks safe-zone.
Recreation and Parks Director Paul Belden said this year’s event is supported by several sponsors. The total cost for the City’s celebration is around $56,900 with sponsors contributing around $8,725 (15% cost recovery, Belden said).
Oviedo’s Independence Day Celebration begins at 5 p.m. inside the Mall until 8:30 p.m., when the fireworks will begin.