This article has been updated to include more information and answered questions from the city of Rehoboth Beach.
REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - After a packed holiday weekend in Rehoboth Beach, many visitors looked forward to the city's annual fireworks display, but some spectators said heavy smoke and a delayed finale made it difficult to see much of the show.
The City of Rehoboth Beach initially apologized after the event, saying it was working with Zambelli Fireworks to determine what caused the heavy smoke and issues with the finale.
The city has now released additional details explaining what happened.
According to Rehoboth Beach, after the fireworks contract was approved, a site inspection in April led the fire marshal to require smaller fireworks because beach erosion had reduced the available fallout zone. As a result, Zambelli Fireworks used multi-shot devices, known as "cakes," instead of the larger aerial shells used in previous years.
City officials said the smaller fireworks typically burst at about 150 feet, compared with more than 450 feet for traditional shells, making the display appear much lower in the sky. The city said the lower elevation, the concentration of smaller shots and high humidity combined to create the unusually heavy smoke.
Rehoboth Beach also said those changes were not communicated to the city beforehand, preventing officials from planning for the different viewing experience.
The city said equipment problems also affected the finale, preventing some fireworks from firing as scheduled. According to Rehoboth Beach, the crew manually ignited those devices after the show had officially ended, creating noticeable gaps that made the finale appear weaker than intended.
City officials said the equipment malfunction prevented the enhanced finale from firing as planned. They added that Zambelli Fireworks has provided displays in Rehoboth Beach for more than 20 years and that incidents like this are extremely rare.
The city said it will work with Zambelli Fireworks in the coming weeks to determine possible changes for future shows.
Officials also addressed questions about why the display is no longer launched from a barge. The city said fireworks were moved from a barge to the beach in 2006 following the beach replenishment project. However, because of continued beach erosion, Rehoboth Beach said it will explore returning to a barge launch for next year's show.
The city also reiterated why it does not hold its fireworks display on July 4. Rehoboth Beach said it has not held fireworks on Independence Day since 2014 because neighboring police, emergency responders, state agencies and the U.S. Coast Guard are already committed to other events. Officials also said scheduling the show on another night helps avoid overlapping displays with nearby communities and reduces traffic congestion.
