Harding University will not be sponsoring any fireworks displays during the July 4th holiday as it has in the past, according to David Crouch, a spokesman for the University.
Crouch said the costs for putting on the fireworks display rose significantly this year. Harding administrators could not secure community support to help fund the event, and decided to cancel the project. The fireworks display was just too costly for Harding to absorb all the expenses of the annual event.
Although the event is cancelled for the 2010 holiday, Crouch said the University is not ruling out sponsoring the event in 2011 if enough community support can be generated.