Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that Dillon has not released plans to have fireworks for New Year’s Eve and to add information about safety precautions being taken for the event.

Breckenridge Town Council showed unanimous support at a Tuesday, Aug. 13, meeting for bringing back New Year’s Eve fireworks for the first time in over five years. 

Council’s approval allowed town staffers to commit $35,000 for fireworks to be used this winter. The decision solely applies to fireworks on New Year’ Eve. The town does not plan to have fireworks for Independence Day.

Council members agreed fireworks could boost Breckenridge as a New Year’s Eve destination, support local businesses by increasing visitation and provide an edge over competitors such as Park City and Steamboat. 

Mayor Kelly Owens said she heard from business owners that the town “empties out” on New Year’s Eve because people are in search of entertainment that Breckenridge doesn’t provide. 

“I think there’s quite a bit of missed revenue for businesses in town on New Year’s Eve weekend,” Owens said. 

Council member Dick Carleton, a business owner, shared a similar sentiment and said business owners used to appreciate the customers that were drawn into town by fireworks. 

Deputy town manager Scott Reid presented a proposed plan to Town Council and said the Breckenridge Ski Area is on board with providing assistance for the event. Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District also plans to be on scene and provide assistance to make sure the show is safe for the community.

Based on previous guidance from council members, who have long been toying with the idea of bringing fireworks back for the holiday, staffers did site evaluations using tools such as drones and GIS mapping and found a launch site between the Peak 9 base and C-Chair ski lift that they felt was best. Reid said they vetted the site for safety, and for the type of fireworks they are choosing to use, which will go 1,000 feet in the air, this was one of the best spots in town. 

He explained the town staff would like to go with Western Fireworks Enterprises, a group of ski patrollers turned pyrotechnicians, to conduct the show. The proposed plan calls for the fireworks to happen after the ski area’s torch light parade at 9:30 p.m. The show is expected to last 15 minutes. 

While Breckenridge officials were all on the same page about bringing fireworks back, town manager Shannon Haynes said local government officials from nearly every entity in Summit County, except Dillon, asked Breckenridge to not have fireworks.

Haynes said Dillon was thinking about having fireworks of their own for the Fourth of July holiday, which is why they didn’t have an issue with Breckenridge having them. 

Council members asked Haynes if other governments had specific concerns, to which she responded that they didn’t. It was an issue of principle. 

“We’ve made the move to not have fireworks for the most part, and they’d like to continue just not having fireworks and having that consistency across the county, with the exception of Keystone (Resort),” Haynes said.

A concern that thwarted fireworks in Breckenridge on the holiday in previous years was traffic. Staffers said they found congestion is generally limited at approximately 9:30 p.m. in late December, and having the fireworks after that should help mitigate congestion. The public works department and police department are planning to help with traffic control.

Another concern voiced by both council members and the community was how fireworks impact wildlife. 

Reid said there aren’t a ton of wildlife in the proposed area in the winter time. He added that birds, which populate the area during other times of the year, have migrated away and that fewer animals, such as foxes, remain during the winter.

Carleton argued that the animals residing near the area hear avalanche bombing at the resort frequently during the winter and fireworks aren’t much different from a sound perspective.