City of Newton submits proposal to host PGI convention in 2025

There is a chance that Newton may host another convention for Pyrotechnics Guild International, but it won’t be at the Iowa Speedway. According to city documents, the event would be held at Woodland Park, the softball fields north of the park and privately-owned parcels north of North 19th Avenue.

Newton City Council voted 6-0 to respond to PGI’s request for proposal to host the 2025 PGI Convention. The proposal has since been submitted.

Council member Randy Ervin is a member of the local PGI board and led the way for the convention to be held in Newton for the first time. He said this next proposal is a great opportunity for the city once again, and he touted the 2022 event’s economic impact throughout the area, which was significant.

“We’ve built a good relationship with them, and so when their 2025 site was unable meet the contract we were the first organization and city that they thought of,” Ervin said. “When you put it into perspective, we are by far the smallest community that has ever held a PGI convention.”

Members of PGI enjoyed their stay in Newton, and several businesses in town took notice when an influx of customers starting buying up many of their food items and merchandise. The convention in 2022 was held in the Iowa Speedway, which also happened to be the debut year of Hy-Vee IndyCar Race Weekend.

Council member Stacy Simbro was complimentary about the event and the positive impact it had on local businesses, but he also was receptive to the complaints the city received from the past event. Although it was held at the Iowa Speedway, the pyrotechnic blasts could be seen, heard and felt by residents.

“For the residents that were close to that on Aurora Heights or south of the Y, they are about a little over a mile distance from there,” Simbro said of the Iowa Speedway. “Where we propose to put this in 2025 is really close to some residential areas. Much, much closer than that mile we had before. Not all. But a good chunk.”

While Simbro is receptive to having another PGI convention, he wanted the request for proposal to not only make the guild happy but also make residents happy. Council member Steve Mullan had questions about the cleanup after the event, which was criticized by a citizen two years ago.

Ervin said, “There were a couple issues last time with some of the cleanup and I think it’s like anything, it was a first time for us and a first time for PGI at a venue like that. So I would say that we have learned about how to control different parts of the cleanup. I don’t think we’ll have the issue we had last time.”

According to city documents, the PGI Newton Steering Committee feels confident in its proposal and that the venue will be accepted and that Newton will indeed host the 2025 convention. Ervin said part of the city’s proposed contract with PGI would be to have right of first refusal for conventions in 2029 and 2033.

“So the long-term partnership between the City of Newton and PGI will be established so that this isn’t a one-time thing,” Ervin said.

PGI could be committed to visiting Newton every four years.

During the 2022 event, most of the convention was closed off from the public. But the organizers set aside a number of days for the public to enjoy the large fireworks displays. The steering committee also scheduled a number of concerts, making the event feel more like a destination that brought in out-of-town visitors.