High off their success of reviving Grand Old Day, Andy Rodriguez and Ashley LeMay are trying their hand at reviving the canceled St. Paul fireworks display.
“The framework is there, we just need someone to step up and make it happen,” Rodriguez said.
The two started a Facebook page called “Grand Old Day Anyway” after the Grand Avenue Business Association decided to cancel the open-air festival for the first time in 46 years due to financial concerns.
The duo were able to generate enough interest and help raise the $190,000 to keep the June 1 party going.
They used the same page to announce their next project.
“We’re bored,” they posted. “Who wants to bring fireworks back to the capital city?”
If they could help bring back Grand Old Day, they’re certain they could raise $100,000 before July 4. Mayor Melvin Carter canceled the fireworks last June over budget concerns.
“After Grand Old Day ended, we got a few private messages from people saying, ‘What are you going to do next?'” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez, who works for the St. Paul Parks and Rec Department, said he and LeMay, whose mother owns the Tavern on Grand, have had some “quiet conversations” with city leaders who are willing to help with logistics should the funds materialize. They want to display the fireworks at Upper Landing Park off Shepard Road.
They are on a pretty tight timeline, he said. Donors would need to step up by next week in order to have things ready in time. There are three pieces to putting on fireworks: hiring the company to do the display, buying insurance and paying for police and fire departments to staff the event.
The post had already generated several comments on Facebook Friday night, including many memes of exploding fireworks.
“It’s a shot in the dark,” he said. “We’ll see what happens, but hopefully we’ll get some good news over the next few days.”
