Altamonte Springs' 2026-27 budget has no money for Red, Hot & Boom, its Fourth of July fireworks event

Altamonte Springs adopted its budget for Fiscal Year 2026/2027 with no funding for Red, Hot & Boom. WDBO describes it as the city's "yearly Red, Hot & Boom Fourth of July event". FOX 35 quotes the city manager: "After 29 years, it was time to retire that."

What changed

• The proposal: at the City Commission's regular meeting of Aug. 18, 2026, the minutes record that "In working to balance the budget, the proposed reductions included Red Hot & Boom and the Library."
• The tentative budget: at the regular meeting of Sept. 3, 2026, the minutes record that "City Manager Martz indicated at the workshop he stated that the library and Red, Hot and Boom were being removed from the budget." The Commission voted that day "to adopt the recommended budget, with amendments, as the tentative Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2026/2027".
• The final budget: at the regular meeting of Sept. 16, 2026, the Commission voted "to adopt Resolution 1486 establishing a Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2026/2027 with the amendment. The motion carried unanimously, after a roll call vote." Commissioner Reece moved it and Commissioner O'Malley seconded it.
• The amendment did not concern the event. The minutes record: "City Manager Martz indicated it is the baseball field synthetic turf line item."
• The minutes give the total: "The proposed budget totals $121 million, reflecting a $2.9 million reduction from the prior year".
• How the news reported it: Spectrum News 13 wrote that the city "approved its new fiscal year budget with no funding for Red Hot & Boom". WFTV wrote that the city "unanimously passed its $121 million budget Wednesday night, removing funding for" the event.

Why, as reported

• Spectrum News 13 reports that the city manager "cited rising costs and inflation as reasons for ending it".
• WFTV reports: "The city spent $950,000 on Red, Hot and Boom."
• WDBO quotes the proposal: "The event was originally started to promote Uptown Altamonte and support economic growth," and its "purpose has been achieved".

Where

• Cranes Roost Park, where FOX 35 reports the event drew about 220,000 people. WFTV says it was "considered the largest fireworks event in Central Florida".

What it means if you live here

• No city-funded Red, Hot & Boom is in this budget.
• Fireworks: FOX 35 reports, "Officials said they are considering replacement community events, but confirmed future celebrations will not include fireworks."
• Donors: WFTV reports, "Martz said he is not ruling out potential offers from private donors to pick up the tab." No donor is named in any source we read.
• No reversal found: the Oct. 7, 2026 minutes and the Oct. 20, 2026 agenda, the latest the city had posted when we checked, do not mention the event.