Pyrotechnics Are ‘the Pits’ for Animals; PETA Asks Cherry Festival to Switch to a Fireworks-Free Finale

For Immediate Release:
June 23, 2025

Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382

Ahead of the annual National Cherry Festival—which concludes with an ear-shattering “Festival Finale Fireworks” display on July 5—PETA sent a letter to festival CEO Kat Paye today, asking her to cancel the fireworks and switch to a grand finale that’s truly sweet: a visually stunning drone or laser show, which is safer for animals, veterans, and anyone else sensitive to loud noises or smoke. And because Paye is also the vice president of the TC Boom Boom Club, PETA is urging her to help end that organization’s deafening fireworks display on July 4.

To ensure its message is heard loud and clear, PETA is sending Paye a “Fireworks terrify animals!” noise button, so she can hear the distressing sounds drowned out by fireworks—including fearful dogs crying, screeching tires as drivers try to avoid terrified wildlife running for their lives, and the thuds of disoriented birds colliding with buildings—along with some earplugs as a reminder that, unlike humans, animals can’t protect their ears from the blasts.

“Fireworks sound like an all-out war to animals, many of whom flee their homes in terror and end up lost, injured, or dead,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA urges the Cherry Festival to branch out, ditch the pyrotechnics, and offer a stem-sational drone or laser show that doesn’t literally scare animals to death.”

From now through July 20, PETA will also display its “When fireworks fly, animals die” billboard at 2504 US-31, Traverse City, near several hotels and inns and about five miles from the Cherry Festival at Open Space Park.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out thatEvery Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

PETA’s letter to Paye follows.
June 23, 2025

Kat Paye, CEO

National Cherry Festival

Dear Ms. Paye:

I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—PETA entities have more than 9 million members and supporters globally, including many thousands in Michigan—with a suggestion we hope you’ll agree is ripe for the taking: Please consider canceling the fireworks display at the National Cherry Festival and switching to alternatives such as visually stunning drone or laser shows, which would allow noise-sensitive domestic animals, wildlife, and veterans with PTSD to experience a quieter and less stressful event. In addition, as vice president of the TC Boom Boom Club, please encourage fellow board members to do the same for its fireworks display on July 4. Here’s why.

As you may know, fireworks are truly the pits for animals—and their use has devastating consequences. Terrified dogs and cats often frantically struggle to escape the chaos by climbing, breaking, or digging their way out of wherever they are. July 4 and 5 are the busiest days for the intake of stray animals at shelters nationwide. Many dogs arrive with bloody paws or broken bones, and some are never reunited with their families. Others don’t even make it to shelters—they’re hit by cars or strangled when their collars become caught on fences.

Fireworks displays also cause significant stress, anxiety, and fear in wild animals. Startled birds have abandoned their nests and crashed into homes, windows, and each other. Scientists studying waterfowl discovered that in reaction to fireworks shows, the birds fly en masse to dangerously high altitudes and stay aloft for as long as 45 minutes, leaving them exhausted and vulnerable. Fireworks also produce smoke and dust laden with toxic particles that harm the respiratory systems of humans and other animals. In addition, veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder can be deeply disturbed by the noise of the explosives and the smell of gunpowder.

As the cherry on top, we’ll be sending you a noise button that plays some of the dreadful sounds drowned out by fireworks—like fearful dogs crying, tires screeching as drivers try to avoid wildlife like deer who have panicked and run onto roadways, and the thuds of disoriented birds colliding with buildings—along with some earplugs as a kind reminder that, unlike humans, animals don’t have the option of preparing for these blasts. The National Cherry Festival already has so much to offer, and compassion is always in season. Please consider canceling fireworks displays and hosting drone or laser shows—which are quieter, safer, and blossoming in popularity. Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you.

Very truly yours,

Ingrid Newkirk

President