July 4th Fireworks Display In HoCo Canceled, Programs Move Online

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The July 4th fireworks display held annually at Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia has been canceled. The Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks also has canceled all weddings and other large gatherings at its facilities through June 14. The department canceled all programs, classes, events and leagues through May 31.

Couples with weddings planned at county facilities were given the opportunity to reschedule or receive a refund. By May 15, the county will determine if weddings can resume starting June 15.

“Our fireworks celebrations for Independence Day draw large crowds of residents and visitors and amid the continued spread of COVID-19 it is not in the best interest of our community to host these celebrations,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball in a statement. “It is imperative we take these precautions to avoid a potential outbreak of COVID-19 and keep our residents safe in Howard County.”

In March, Howard County announced Wine In The Woods was canceled, which was scheduled for May 16-17, and ticket holders received a full refund.

“Without a definitive timeline on when each stage of the state’s recovery plan will be executed, we cannot safely hold an event that draws 20,000-30,000 people in a crowded area,” said Raul Delerme, director of recreation and parks.

The department plans to offer online programming for new and currently enrolled program participants. The first online courses will be those easiest to transfer to an online format. This includes, but it not limited to, courses in cooking, fitness and lectures. Online programs will be posted as they come available here. The department plans to continue online programming after stay-at-home and other mitigation measures are lifted, advancing equity for residents who may not have had access previously due to lack of transportation, childcare or were homebound.

Starting next week, the county will reopen handball courts. The Worthington Dog Park will reopen on May 13 for members that are preregistered. Members can preregister starting Monday at 8 a.m. To register for a 45-minute slot, dog owners can visit activenet or call 410-313-7275 (Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm). Upon arrival, members must show the attendant a print or digital copy of their confirmation receipt. There will be five available slots for the small dog park and eight available slots for the large dog park each hour. Each handler may sign up a maximum of two dogs per slot.