A scene from this year’s July 4 celebration. During its Oct. 8 meeting, Los Alamos County Council learned that the drone show will return to the 2025 July 4 celebration. Courtesy photo

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

While Council approved on Oct. 8 a few minor modifications to the contract between Los Alamos County and Sancre Productions for the Summer Concert Series, concertgoers can expect some significant changes regarding the July 4 celebration.

The contract revisions, which included providing a 2 percent increase to Sancre Productions’ contract as well as moving a concert date to Sept. 5, 2025, were approved 6-1 with Councilor David Reagor opposed.

Recreation Superintendent Katherine Hudspeth explained that the 2 percent increase historically has been accounted for every year during the budget season since entering the contract with Sancre Productions in December 2019. According to agenda documents, the contract runs through Sept. 30, 2026 and will not exceed $508,824.46, the total amount for the six-year contract.

Additionally, Hudspeth said a concert date would be moved to September because July 4, 2025 will be a Friday. Sancre Productions has a separate contract for the July 4 celebrations and to preserve the 15 concerts included in the Summer Concert Series, the date for the regular Friday night concert would be moved.

She also reported that the July 4 celebrations for 2025 will be a little different. Due to a capital improvement project occurring at Overlook Park, the festivities will be held at Ashley Pond Park. Hudspeth explained to the Daily Post that a field renovation project involves improving multiple Los Alamos County managed fields. Spirio Field, which is the field where the festivities are normally held for July 4, is scheduled to be renovated May through September 2025. Likewise, there is an ordinance prohibiting fireworks at Ashley Pond as well as safety concerns so in its place, there will be a drone show.

The fireworks show has traditionally been done by the Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos. Hudspeth explained to the Los Alamos Daily Post that the Kiwanis Club has held a monetary contract with Los Alamos County since 2022, which ended in 2024. She added that the County currently has an RFP out for a fireworks provider with the intention that a contract will be in place for the 2026 July 4 event. Next year’s drone show will be provided by Sky Elements, which offered this year’s drone show.

Reagor opposed modifying the contract, saying he felt the previous contractor did a better job with the concert series. Councilor Melanee Hand said she supported the current contract; she noted that not everyone will be pleased but overall the concerts offer far more pros than cons to the community.

“I think that it is very important that we continue to have fun activities here in Los Alamos County and although there may be some things that not everybody likes about the current contract, I think it is still a big success, and through word of mouth and advertising, I think we always had good results and I think we should continue it instead of looking for another contract,” Hand said. “I think we are doing good.”