Sugarbush Resort plans to hold its annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration to benefit the Mad River Valley Community Fund on Saturday, July 4, at dusk or approximately 9:30 p.m. The resort plans to have a number of safety protocols in place, which have been approved by the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development. The event will be hosted in collaboration with the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce.
The event will be held at Sugarbush’s Lincoln Peak. The resort plans to park their main lots A – F at 50% capacity (utilizing every other space), with cars parked 6-feet apart, beginning sometime around 7:30 to 8 p.m. The fireworks vendor, NorthStar Fireworks out of East Montpelier, has provided a viewing radius where guests will be able to spectate from their parked cars in these lots. These parking lots will be emptied before the event begins around 6 p.m. and will remain closed until the parking begins, and a mix of Sugarbush staff and community volunteers will be used to oversee the lots. Guests are encouraged to attend the event only with members of their household and follow a “park, watch, leave” policy, with no loitering or tailgating permitted before or after the event. In total the resort expects to have space for approximately 500 cars. The event will be rain or shine. For the most up-to-date details please be sure to check the website prior to the event.
Sugarbush will be setting up an online registration system via their website. Guests will need to reserve their parking space on a first-come, first-serve basis. In collaboration with the Mad River Valley Community Fund (MRVCF), a local nonprofit designed to assist local Mad River Valley community members in financial distress, the resort is asking guests for a suggested minimum donation of $20 per car, and there will be opportunity to donate remotely as well. Sugarbush is also hoping to livestream the event for those who cannot attend, with details to follow.
"This is an enormous fundraising opportunity for the Community Fund," said Ashley Woods, MRVCF board chair. "We have recently granted 200 households over $140,000 in COVID-19 relief grants, and these funds will help us to continue this very important work."
Sugarbush president Win Smith is having his Winthrop H. Smith Memorial Foundation match all gifts up to $10,000. Guests will need to furnish a printed copy of their receipt or be able to display it on their mobile phone to gain access to the event.
When registering for the event, guests will need to confirm that on event day they will have met the Vermont Cross State Travel Requirements as listed on the ACCD website.
Any guests displaying respiratory symptoms will be asked to remain home. Guests attending the event are also asked to practice social distancing, use face coverings and remain in their parking space for the duration of the event. The resort will allow one chair per person to be set up immediately adjacent to the car. Guests are encouraged to bring their own food or drink; however, cookouts, tents, outdoor games, pets and sparklers will not be permitted. Guests must pack in and pack out their own trash and recycling. The resort will have a few port-o-lets on site for emergency purposes but encourage guests to use restroom facilities prior to the event. Face coverings will be required to use port-o-lets. Lodges will remain closed for the duration of the event.
All event staff and volunteers will complete the VOSHA mandatory COVID-19 training prior, have a documented health and wellness check the day of, and will adhere to social distancing and use face coverings throughout the event.
To reserve a parking space and for the most up-to-date information on the event, visit www.sugarbush.com or www.madrivervalley.com/fireworks.
