East Helena fireworks show seeks donations to grow for 250th anniversary
East Helena's fireworks campaign is chasing $100,000 for a bigger 250th birthday show, with $85,341 already raised and Town Pump matching up to $30,000.
East Helena’s Prickly Pear Firework Show is trying to raise $100,000 to stage a larger 250th-anniversary display, financed by voluntary contributions, not tax dollars. About $85,341 had been raised from 100 supporters after Town Pump completed a match pledge of up to $30,000, leaving the final stretch to be filled before the July 4, 2026 show at 10:30 p.m. in East Helena.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10010 began funding the yearly show in 1957, originally for veterans and their families, before the cost became too difficult to sustain. Karl Meagher took on fundraising in 2010, then Shellie Mitchell and Shellie’s Country Café stepped in around 2016 when the event was at risk of being discontinued.
A 2024 KTVH report put the production at about nine months of preparation, last year’s show cost about $40,000 to $45,000, and fireworks and pyrotechnics for that year came to about $53,000. The goal was $55,000 then and about $17,000 was still needed at one point, while the display used roughly 200 fireworks. The 2024 show was also held in memory of Rick Pyfer of East Helena.
The settlement became East Helena in 1889 after the smelter was built there, and Lewis and Clark County was created in 1864 and renamed in 1868 for the Lewis and Clark expedition.
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