Manteca’s elected leaders will decide whether to celebrate the Fourth of July on the actual day or move the city’s aerial fireworks display to July 3.

Since Independence Day falls this year on a Saturday, it has created a three-day weekend. And regardless of what the City Council does when they meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St., the Sunrise Kiwanis plan to stage the Fourth of July parade on the actual holiday. The same goes for the Manteca Kiwanis and their traditional Fourth of July breakfast that attracts upwards of 1,000 people a year.

In the past the city has switched the aerial fireworks with its accompanying booths and entertainment at the municipal-owned Big League Dream sports complex to July 3 whenever there has been a three-day holiday. It allowed the city to avoid calling employees into work and compensating them with holiday pay.

Also it costs 5 percent less to have aerial fireworks on July 3 as opposed to Independence Day due to the high demand for the individuals that are licensed to launch them. Staff indicates city costs are 13 percent lower on July 3 versus July 4 while attendance remains the same.

Other people benefit financially as well with the aerial display and accompanying celebration take place a day earlier.

BLD would lose a weekend tournament on July 4. That translates into a loss of between $20,000 and $25,000 in food and beverage sales plus $14,000 to $15,000 in gate receipts according to Manteca’s Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation Toni Lundgren.

In a report to the council, Lundgren also noted that non-profits in the past reported sales are 40 percent higher from fireworks booth sales when the city moves aerial fireworks to July 3.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwytt@mantecabulletin.com