SACRAMENTO, Calif. — There will be no fireworks along the Old Sacramento Waterfront this New Year's Eve for the fourth year in a row.
While the city used to do two shows — one at 9 p.m. and the other at midnight — they won't be making any appearance again this year.
Old Sacramento businesses say things have been bustling the week leading up to Christmas until now. But no crowd compares to the crowds they used to have when the city held the New Year’s Eve fireworks shows.
The Old Sacramento Waterfront is still decked out for the holidays, but all events have now passed.
The pandemic and COVID canceled the show in 2021 and 2022 while 2023 was canceled because of a lack of staff and funding — the same issue for 2024.
Sacramento city officials say the reason is “logistical challenges” as, in the past, the event "required extensive staff, time and financial resources which are no longer available.”
Dean Huitrado, owner Railroad Fish and Chip, says he’s disappointed there will be no fireworks as it impacts business.
“We definitely don’t have the crowds that we did when the show was going on pre-COVID when the show was going on," he said. "It was crazy, there were thousand and thousands of people here."
He has been taking advantage of his prime location near the Christmas tree, hoping people will still come to the waterfront to celebrate.
“Our hours are set to 9 p.m. that night. If the fireworks were going, we’d stay until 1 a.m. Without the fireworks, we will just kind of play it by ear,” said Huitrado.
Just down the way at Sacramento Sweets, owner Jason Minnow says businesses rely on the events to keep the narrative around old town and downtown Sacramento positive.
Last year there was a stabbing in early November and business owners worried people would stay away. Events give people a reason to come out.
"It puts them in that cycle so people that aren’t here go oh shoot we should go down there and that’s more important and I think the events really help that,” said Minnow.
Evening events also bring in customers during a time of year when people normally wouldn’t be out and businesses wouldn’t be open.
“After like 8, 9 p.m., downtown Sacramento just gets too dark, to cold. It doesn’t make any sense to be open,” said Minnow.
The city says they're exploring ideas for other events throughout the year and there's still plenty to do in the area like: special dinners, comedy shows and other fun activities.
