CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y.-- A long standing holiday tradition will not take place in the Town of Cheektowaga this year.
There will be no fireworks at Cheektowaga Town Park this 4th of July.
Town Supervisor Diane Benczkowski tells 2 On Your Side the organization that has run the festivities over the years, the Cheektowaga Patriotic Commission, has disbanded and so far, no one else has come forward to fill that void.
However, Benczkowski says other holiday events will still go on, including food trucks and a concert by country artist Ricky Lee on July 3rd sponsored by State Assembly-woman Monica Wallace. The town's annual parade will be at noon on July 4 down Walden Avenue.
"I've lived here all my life and I was very saddened we found out at the end of December that the patriotic commission who always ran the July Fourth festivities disbanded," she said.
2 On Your Side's Jeff Preval spoke by phone with a current member of the commission. He didn't want to be named and took issue with the word disbanded and says the commission still exists, it's just not active because many of its members are not available to perform their duties.
The commission also says the town doesn't have the $20,000 to put on the show, but the supervisor assured us the money is there in the budget.