El Paso County Fourth Of July Fireworks At Ascarate Park Instead Of Chamizal

On Monday, KFOX14 reported that El Paso County Commissioners were looking at moving their annual Fourth of July fireworks display to Ascarate Park. There was no word on why they were looking to make the move but Mike and I speculated on the air that it might be because the County had lost out on a couple of big events this year. The Sun City Music Festival recently announced that they would not be holding their event because they felt it wouldn’t be as good a product as they wanted it to be, and earlier this year, the Sun City Fair organizers said they would not be returning to Ascarate Park because the park’s condition was not up to their standards.

I reached out to the County and spoke with Parks and Recreation Director Veronica Myers who told me the fireworks display is being held at Ascarate Park, but the County never used the Chamizal for their Fourth of July celebration.

Myers said the County uses the same company to do fireworks that the federal government uses at the Chamizal, but because they are County and the Chamizal falls under the federal government, they are separate events. The last time the County held a Fourth of July fireworks display was in 2005 at Ascarate. The fireworks display at the Chamizal has always never been a County event.

So what can you expect at the County’s event this year? Myers said an amazing fireworks display that will be reflected on the lake, and plenty of space and parking for thousands of people. She also said you can bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and picnics with you because the County wants this to be an all day and evening event with live music before the show, food trucks, events at the golf course, and possibly nighttime swimming at the pool at Ascarate. You won’t be able to bring alcohol, however, so leave that at home.

As for the Sun City Music Festival returning to Ascarate in the future, Myers said they were always happy to work with the organizers and SCMF officials assured Myers they would be back next year, so that’s something to look forward to next summer.