Monte Foundation Fireworks approved with an amendment by Capitola City Council

CAPITOLA, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The City of Capitola decided Thursday whether they wanted to continue supporting the Monte Foundation Fireworks held annually in October.

To do so, the city has to coordinate with the Coastal Commission for required event permits.

In addition to this, an amendment was passed by a council member recommending the city consults further with the Coastal Commission to analyze environmental impact and research.

The council unanimously passed the agenda item and amendment after an influx of comments and community emails poured in regarding the fireworks; a mix of support and critique for the lights show.

The fireworks display started at Seacliff State Beach in the mid-1990s and moved to Capitola in 2015, drawing in around 10,000 attendees annually. According to the city, this number is trending upwards.

The city says that they schedule the event to happen in the fall to promote local attendance.

The beneficiaries of the event are McGregor Skate Park, Capitola Library children’s wing, Jade Street Park tennis court and McGregor bike pump track, with the funding at about $300,000 to-date.

Now that the city has adopted to move forward with keeping the fireworks show, they will be required to update their Coastal Development Permit (which expired in 2024), as well as obtain new permits to analyze alternative locations and media (i.e. using drones), come up with an environmental impact analysis for noise and wildlife, as well as demonstrate further community support.