Territory Day events, cracker night to be cancelled because of COVID-19 concerns

CRACKER Night — and the sale of fireworks for personal use — will not go ahead this year because of coronavirus restrictions. Territory Day, the biggest celebration on the dry season calendar, is the latest event to fall victim to COVID-19

Mindil Beach fireworks won’t be going ahead this year as events for Territory Day will be cancelled. Picture: David Artisan

CRACKER Night will be back for Territory Day 2021 but Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced THursday afternoon that this year’s events and fireworks are off.

Territory Day, which is the biggest celebration on the dry season calendar, is the latest event to fall victim to the COVID-19 crisis.

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The day celebrates the introduction of self-government in the Northern Territory.

COVID-19 restrictions will also mean the purchase of fireworks for personal use, and events across the NT that attract Territorians and visitors in their thousands, will not go ahead.

Mr Gunner said businesses would have struggled to obtain a supply of a fireworks due to the fact that most come from China.

Posted by The NT News on Wednesday, 15 April 2020

“It is the right decision it had to be made. This year the skies won’t light up like they used to, but cracker night will be back,” he said.

“Next year’s Territory Day will be a cracker of a night.”

He said fireworks vendors had also raised concerns about contributing to a possible influx of people to the emergency department with fireworks injuries at a time when the hospital was dealing with a pandemic.

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Mr Gunner said NT Major Events was working on ways that the day could be celebrated in a safe way.

The celebrations, which occur on July 1, typically see thousands flock to Mindil Beach and other iconic Territory locations for star-studded shows and fireworks displays.

It is also the only day of the year that members of the public can legally buy fireworks for personal use anywhere in Australia.

It is understood that fireworks are unable to be sourced at the moment as a majority of them come from China.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner will elaborate on the developments after lunch.