Citing budget concerns, the City of Freeport has announced that they will not be holding a 4th of July fireworks event this year.

According to a press release, the appointed fireworks committee notified the City that they had disbanded and asked the City to take over the sponsorship of the 2018 fireworks.

But, after a budget review, and citing a prior commitment to the Stephenson County Fair — and being unable to find another group to coordinate the event — the City decided not to sponsor the 2018 celebration. 

According to the release: 

For the past three years the City has maintained that we were not going to use tax dollars to fund fireworks.  
 
Our hope is that a group will step forward to coordinate and fund-raise for a July 4th  2019 event. 
 
Several area towns are hosting events. A few of them that we have been able to confirm are as follows: 
 
Belvidere Sunday, June 24th  dusk Fairgrounds Durand Wednesday, July 4th  dusk School Galena Wednesday, July 4th  dusk Grant Park (parade at 6 PM) Stockton Wednesday, July 4th  dusk Blackhawk Park (Rain Date July 6th)