Matamoras cancels Fourth of July fireworks celebration

On Tuesday, May 12, the Matamoras Borough Council voted against allowing the real estate firm of McAteer & Will Estates with Keller Williams Real Estate (McA&W-KWRE) to hold their Fourth of July event this year.

Previously, the council met and canceled the event, which has been held on July 4 for the past three years at Airport Park. The board agreed to consider a proposal for an alternative event on July 3 at the May 12 meeting, ultimately agreeing the production would not go on.

During the hearing on the proposal, McA&W-KWRE’s leadership voiced their concerns about the council’s proposal, highlighting the event’s impact on the community.

“It brings the community together, gives memories to our children, lights up the sky where the entire days is filled with kids laughing, dancing, singing, playing tug of war, where vendors and local businesses postpone their own vacations because they can make more money here for their own vacations later, where the feeling of patriotism is contagious, and where people come from all over Pike County because they say the fireworks are the best around,” Lisa McAteer, cofounder of McA&W-KWRE, said.

Firm unaware of any issues with the event

McAteer claimed her firm was never informed of any issues with the event, which the council did not deny during the meeting.

McA&W-KWRE has never made a profit on this event and has paid for the huge array of fireworks, music, entertainment, gaming, decorations, go-karts, insurance coverage, staffing, advertising and promotion, giveaways, games and supplies, McAteer claimed, and maintained her company does this because they love the community and believe families deserve a memorable Fourth of July celebration.

Public comment rules questioned

During the meeting, Township Solicitor Jason Ohliger stated, “Only Matamoras residents and taxpayers could speak,” which McA&W-KWRE cofounder Will objected to as the ruling applied only to the fireworks matter.

“The handling of public comment was inconsistent, unfair, and conducted in a manner that raises serious legal concerns,” Will said, “What occurred at the meeting was deeply disappointing and frankly shameful. Borough officials chose to end a beloved community event without making any meaningful effort to work toward a solution, and in the process trampled on the First Amendment rights of members of the public.”

Ohliger said he “didn’t have to justify his legal opinion to Will.”

Community voices concerns about event

Several Matamoras residents in the audience spoke against the event and wanted it out of their town. They complained about the noise, the huge crowds (estimates of 4,000 people according to McA&W-KWRE) in the very narrow Matamoras streets, parking two and three cars deep, traffic jams and garbage everywhere. Several residents mentioned that crowds wrecked their lawns and the high cost to clean up their own property after the deluge of people descending on their yards.

McAteer and Will asked the council several times to address their specific objections so they could respond to them. Councilman Jon Maney stated this event has cost Matamoras taxpayers approximately $40,000 over the past four years.

McAteer responded, “What is most important is this: We were never informed of these costs, never provided with documentation, and never once asked to reimburse the borough for any of these expenses. Had we been asked, we would have covered them.”

McAteer’s question, “If we were to pay the full cost of any expenses, would the outcome be different?,” went unanswered.

McAteer contended “the event has generated more than $10,000 for the park, raised over $3,000 per year for the volunteer firefighters, from parking cars, brought thousands of people into the community, and supported local businesses.”

“The townspeople do have legitimate concerns and McA&W-KWRE are prepared to address them, but if this decision was based on politics or personal disagreements, the public deserves to know. The borough council is not engaging in a dialog. The cancellation of this beloved fireworks celebration is more than the loss of a single event—it is the loss of a cherished tradition that brought thousands of families together to create memories, support local businesses, and celebrate the spirit of our community. Our hearts are broken for the children, families, and small businesses who looked forward to this night each summer as a symbol of unity, especially in light of our forthcoming 250th anniversary,“ McAteer said.

Alex McAteer, cofounder of McA&W-KWRE, summed it up, “While we initially fought for the event to continue, we hear the opposition loud and clear, respect the council’s decision regarding town resources, and will be stepping back completely. “