Ishpeming City Council finds creative alternative to Downtown Fourth of July activities
ISHPEMING — With the usual celebration canceled, Downtown Ishpeming businesses are getting creative for this year’s Fourth of July.
In a June 25 meeting, the Ishpeming City Council approved special-use permits for several downtown businesses for the holiday weekend.
They will be allowed to conduct business outside, and a few temporary road closures will be in place.
Council Member Lindsay Bean says these permits will allow the public to still have a way to celebrate downtown, and it will help the businesses involved as well.
“We wanted to do this so that there’s something for the community to do; a benefit for residents of something happening,” said Council Member Bean. “It’s not your standard Fourth of July but it’s something that they could go and do that’s largely outside, so a little bit safer than going inside somewhere. And it’s centered downtown, so it’s a benefit to our local businesses. And by being able to operate outside, there’s a better ability for social distancing and keeping it as safe of an event as we can.”
Bean wants to remind anyone looking to celebrate July 4th downtown to be safe and considerate of others. That includes staying six feet apart and keeping your face covered.
“The biggest thing would be to make sure that if people are coming downtown to patronize those businesses and to celebrate a little, that we just make sure that we people really are maintaining social distance,” Bean advised. “They should be wearing masks when around other people and indoors and just being safe and smart in their behaviors.”
The City Council is looking forward to this year’s unique Fourth of July downtown.