BOULDER CITY – Boulder City staff would like to remind residents that the Eldorado Valley Dry Lake Bed Recreation Area is closed to the public every year around Independence Day. This will be the seventh time the area will close Friday, July 3 until Sunday, July 5. The closure of the recreation area is done to prevent massive gatherings and the associated clean-ups that have occurred there in the past.
For many years prior to 2014, the Dry Lake Bed was the site of parties that left the site strewn with trash. The large crowds, the presence of alcohol and the use of illegal fireworks created public safety concerns and emergency response challenges for City police and fire departments, prompting then-Council members to take action. City Council passed Resolution 6124 in January 2014 closing the recreation area (read full resolution here).
The Damboree Committee, a local 501(c)(3), notified the City that the annual Independence Day parade and fireworks events on July 4 would be canceled this year due to an abundance of caution during the COVID-19 pandemic. The parade that lines Nevada Way generally is 3-4 people deep; the fireworks show draws a crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 people. The Committee cited concerns over social distancing and violating the Nevada Directives. The Rotary Club of Boulder City will still hold the annual Pancake Breakfast on July 4 from 7am – 9am, but on a drive-up basis only in the parking lot of the Senior Center of Boulder City (813 Arizona St.). The Center is not open to the public to ensure that residents will not be violating social distancing.
Several people have posted July 4 alternate events on social media. Police Chief Tim Shea is asking the public to respect their community and not attempt to create large gatherings. “The number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise, with a 25% increase in cases here in Boulder City since June 10,” said Chief Shea. “With the number of people who live here who are elderly and/or immunocompromised, we urge residents to be respectful and follow the Nevada Governor’s Directives, which currently state gatherings must be limited to 50 people or less.”
Anyone with questions concerning the closure of the Dry Lake Bed can contact the Boulder City Police Department at 702.293.9224 or the Boulder City Fire Department at 702.293.9228.
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