Cardiff's annual Sparks in the Park fireworks show has been cancelled "for the foreseeable future" due to the rising cost of running the event. Sparks in the Park has been running since 1981 and purports to be the largest regular annual fireworks display in Wales.
The event's organisers, Cardiff Round Table, announced the cancellation on Facebook. In a statement, they said: "It is with great sadness that Cardiff Round Table and Sparks Cardiff Charitable Trust announce the cancellation of Sparks in the Park 2022 and for the foreseeable future.
"Unfortunately, over the past few years we have faced escalating costs and organisational burdens, the same as so many of us have been feeling. As a purely volunteer driven event, where all profits raised are donated to local charities and good causes, it is no longer feasible for us to put on an event of this scale.
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"We will always be ready to help run a fireworks event for the community, the main aim of which is to be enjoyable and safe. So, if you or someone you know would like to volunteer to help us get Sparks in the Park back up and running, please let us know.
"We would like to thank everyone who has attended, organised and supported Sparks in the Park for the past 40 years. All of us at Cardiff Round Table and Sparks Cardiff Charitable Trust wish you and your families the best."
In previous years the event has included a fairground, beer tent and food. It was always a popular occasion, moving between Bute Park and Blackweir Fields in the heart of the capital.
It had been cancelled for the past two years - in 2020 due to lockdown and in 2021 due to difficulties finding enough sponsorship money to keep ticket prices low enough. This year was set to be the event's big return for the first time since 2019.
The organisers said they will continue to support their chosen local charities and good causes, and have asked well-wishers to reach out if they think Cardiff Round Table can help. They can be contacted via Facebook or by emailing chairman@cardiffroundtable.co.uk.
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