RUMFORD – After a year without fireworks, the spectacular display will be back this July.

Eddie Shurtleff, spokesman for the Moontide Water Festival Committee, requested, and received from the selectmen, $12,500 toward the annual event, at Thursday’s board meeting.

The funding comes from the town’s cable television franchise fees.

Shurtleff and the committee also plan to raise money so the display will be even larger. But not at the cost of going into debt, he said.

July 4, 2006, was the first year in many years the town didn’t have fireworks. Debt was the reason.

Now, said Shurtleff, largely with thanks to former Moontide Chairman Joseph Roberts and a series of fundraisers held during the past few months, the committee is debt-free.

He said arrangements have already been made for the fireworks display.

He also asked the board to place the event on the town’s insurance policy so that the committee could save about $3,000 if it had to acquire liability insurance itself. The board delayed making a decision on that request until it learns how much it would cost the town.

Shurtleff said the July 4 event will promote patriotism and free enterprise and will be permanently be dedicated to Revolutionary War veterans, whom he said have not been honored.

He said a Minuteman statue will be temporarily displayed in Veterans Park during the July 4 event. He hopes to choose one Revolutionary War veteran to whom the the fireworks display would be dedicated.

Other tentative plans for the day include a possible flyover, music, a flea market and other vendors, and flying a 13-star Colonial flag.

The committee plans to ask each of the other River Valley towns, organizations, businesses and individuals for donations toward the July 4 event.