Fall River Wonders: Will Fall River Celebrates America ever return?

FALL RIVER — By any measure, Fall River Celebrates America had a good run. It brought is 24 years of food, fireworks, parades and music.

But all good things must come to an end.

Or must they?

Readers wondered: Is there any chance the Bristol County Chamber of Commerce will bring back its big summer celebration?

“The answer to that is no,” said Michael O’Sullivan, the president of the Chamber. “It was an outstanding event, but it ran its course.

“I’ve spoken to a number of people who volunteered at it. The volunteers look back and reminisce, but they all say: ‘Please don’t bring it back.’”

The festival, known locally as Fall River Celebrates or just Celebrates, held its final run in 2009, its 24th year.

There would be cruises on Mount Hope Bay, water skiing shows, boat racing, sailboat regattas, magic shows, reptiles and tours of the battleships. There were carnival games and rides.

There would also be lots of food and music. A new band would take to the stage every 45 minutes through the day of the festival with a headliner playing from 8 p.m. until the fireworks began at 9:30.

There would also be a parade most years.

Los Lobos was the headlining band one year. Entrain and 38 Special appeared at others.

At its height, the festival drew 200,000 people, according to figures provided by the Chamber.

But Mother Nature decided if the event was a success or not, O’Sullivan said.

“It was really dependent on the weather,” he said. “If it was raining or if it was really hot, people stayed away.

“There were so many things out of your control — it made it tough. There were years when it made money and years when it didn’t.”

The recession that started in 2007 squeezed FRCA until it could no longer survive. The Chamber’s board of directors voted in February 2010 to end the event.

Officials explained that the cost greatly exceeded the expected revenues, and that the organization could no longer afford to foot the bill.

It was missed. An online petition started in 2015 quickly gathered 540 signatures, asking that the festival be brought back.

But the Chamber has shifted its priorities: its focus is on events that serve its members. Part of that is because others have stepped up, O’Sullivan said.

“The Narrows has been doing a great job filling the arts and culture needs,” O’Sullivan said. “So has Mike Lund, with everything he has done on the waterfront over the past few years.”

The Chamber does what it can to support those events, O’Sullivan said.

“A lot of great stuff is happening in Fall River,” he said. “It is coming from a lot of different organizations and a lot of different directions now.”

Email Kevin P. O’Connor at koconnor@heraldnews.com.