Freeport town officials, businesses and residents rallied this week to bring back the town’s annual Fourth of July fireworks display, which hasn’t been held since before COVID-19.

“It’s a pretty complicated thing to put on between funding, finding a location and fire discharge (getting permission from the fire department),” said Ed Bradley, Freeport town councilor.

Less than two weeks ago, Bradley said the town’s firework committee reported a Fourth of July display would not be possible again this year because they didn’t have a launch site and were still two-thirds shy of their $15,000 financial goal.

When word spread across town, local Christian school Pine Tree Academy volunteered its property as a launch site and L.L. Bean donated $5,000 to help fund the fireworks. To raise the remaining $5,000, Freeport Town Manager Caroline Pelletier asked local businesses for help. 

Thanks to “The Freeport Firecrackers,” Bucks Naked BBQ, the Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce, Bradley Family Foundation, Bath Savings, Maine Beer Company, the Met Coffee House, Derosier’s Pizza, Mast Landing Brewing Company, Freeport Oyster Bar, Spartan Sea Farms and the Desert of Maine, the town raised the remaining funds in less than a week.

Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. following L.L. Bean’s annual concert at 7:30 p.m. on July 4. Guests can view the fireworks from most of downtown, including the Howard Street parking lot, which will be closed to traffic so guests can set up chairs and blankets to enjoy the show, according to Bradley. Watching the fireworks from the Pine Tree Academy property is prohibited due to ongoing bridge construction and fire-safety concerns.

For a list of Fourth of July events, visit freeportmaine.com.