St Joseph’s Bonfire & Fireworks Display Off For A Third Year

The traditional St Joseph’s bonfire and fireworks display in Market Harborough won’t take place this year because of the impact of the pandemic on the event.

Organisers, the St Joseph School’s PTFA, say it wasn’t feasible to host the event, as for it to have been ‘covid safe’ and operated within government guidance, they would have had to limit spectator numbers and the way volunteers were able to work.

There would also have been no feasible catering provision at the site off Coventry Road.

It’s the third year the event, which has been held for over thirty years, has been cancelled – the pandemic put a stop to it last year and bad weather forced it to be called off in 2019.

However, the PTFA says it’s determined it will return next November.

St Joseph’s Bonfire & Firework display in 2018

A spokesperson for the PTFA told Hfm: “After a very difficult eighteen months for all charities and fundraisers, St Joseph’s PTFA have taken the very difficult decision to not proceed with our annual bonfire and fireworks display in 2021.

“In a normal year the event requires a huge effort in terms of organising, logistics and volunteers, not just from within our own school and PTFA, but the wider local community including the Scouts, Round Table and WWBrowns Builders to name just a few involved.  To run the event in 2021 would have seen a restriction in how our volunteers are able to work, no feasible catering provision and a limit to how many spectators we would be able to permit entry to, to ensure that we remained ‘covid safe’ and operated within government guidance.

“This is then all subject to the weather on the day itself and as a small PTFA, we cannot sensibly at this time, take the risk of the event having to be cancelled at the last minute due to adverse weather conditions.

“Whilst we are as a PTFA devasted not to be able to run this fantastic event that has been happening for over 30 years, we are determined that we will return in November 2022 after a three year hiatus.  We hope that the wider Market Harborough community and businesses will continue to support us in 2022 by offering sponsorship to put on the event, volunteering in some way and by purchasing a ticket on the night to watch the event.  We will be back!’

Alternative displays are happening at Market Harborough Showground next Tuesday and Wednesday when the Harborough Funfair and Fireworks event is held – more details HERE