Fireworks by Grucci

Last updated
Fireworks by Grucci
Founded1850
Headquarters,
United States
Website www.grucci.com   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Fireworks by Grucci is an American fireworks company headquartered in Bellport on New York's Long Island. It has been a family-run business since 1850. The company's main fireworks office and operations are in Bellport, New York, with a manufacturing and government work factory in Radford, Virginia.

Contents

According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, an industry trade group, Fireworks by Grucci is "one of the nation's premier pyrotechnics firms." [1]

History

The company traces its pyrotechnic roots to Bari, Italy, where Angelo Lanzetta reportedly was an apprentice to an Italian fireworks family. Lanzetta was the great-great-grandfather of Felix Grucci Sr., after whom the company was named. [1]

Grucci Sr. continued to develop the company with such innovations as the stringless shell, which improved fireworks safety by eliminating burning fallout. The company also developed mock atomic bomb tests for the Department of Defense. The Grucci family received accolades for its performance on the Charles River in Boston during the 1976 bicentennial celebration, its first major performance outside the New York metropolitan area. [2] [3]

In 1979, the Gruccis became the first American family to win the Gold Medal for the United States at the annual Monte Carlo International Fireworks Competition, an event revered by the fireworks industry as the most prestigious competition in the world. This also earned the family their nickname, "America's First Family of Fireworks," from the New York press. [2] [3]

In 1983, disaster struck the company when an explosion at the company's factory in Bellport, New York killed two family members and heavily damaged dozens of nearby homes. [4] As a result, the company moved its operations from Bellport to Yaphank, New York, a more secluded area.[ citation needed ]

In 2008, the company provided fireworks for a party on Staten Island to celebrate Julius Nasso, a film producer and friend of the Gotti family, getting out of prison [5]

Facility

Grucci's Brookhaven facility is set in a tightly controlled enclosure. Safety is kept at a premium by using caution signs, eight-foot-high barbed wire fencing, and huge sand-and-gravel barriers. In addition, copper plates are placed on the outside of the assembly buildings to discharge static, while no more than four workers are allowed at a time in any one building. [4]

Technology

Fireworks by Grucci has adapted the use of technology, including the use of computers to electronically fire the shells. It has also switched from using the traditionally used cardboard gun barrels to fiberglass and steel, which is better able to absorb a misfire. [4]

Noteworthy displays

Fireworks by Grucci has produced fireworks displays for various United States and international events, including:

The company has also created displays in Florida and Hawaii. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fireworks</span> Low explosive pyrotechnic devices for entertainment

Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays, combining a large number of devices in an outdoor setting. Such displays are the focal point of many cultural and religious celebrations, though mismanagement could lead to fireworks accidents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellport, New York</span> Village in New York, United States

Bellport is a village in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 2,084 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyrotechnics</span> Science of creating combustibles and explosives for entertainment

Pyrotechnics is the science and craft of creating such things as fireworks, safety matches, oxygen candles, explosive bolts and other fasteners, parts of automotive airbags, as well as gas-pressure blasting in mining, quarrying, and demolition. This trade relies upon self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions to make heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound. The name comes from the Greek words pyr ("fire") and tekhnikos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Plimpton</span> American writer (1927–2003)

George Ames Plimpton was an American writer. He is known for his sports writing and for helping to found The Paris Review, as well as his patrician demeanor and accent. He was known for "participatory journalism," including accounts of his active involvement in professional sporting events, acting in a Western, performing a comedy act at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, and playing with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and then recording the experience from the point of view of an amateur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firecracker</span> Small explosive meant to produce noise

A firecracker is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang, usually for celebration or entertainment; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound. Firecrackers, along with fireworks, originated in China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independence Day (United States)</span> Public holiday celebrated on July 4

Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.

Emaar Properties is an Emirati multinational real estate development company located in the United Arab Emirates. It is a public joint-stock company, listed on the Dubai Financial Market, and has a valuation of US$16.8 billion as of August 2023 against the Net Asset Valuation of US$37.6 billion as of December 2022 based on the valuation of assets done by third party valuer. With six business segments and 60 active companies, Emaar has collective presence in 36 markets across the Middle East, North Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felix Grucci</span> American politician (born 1951)

Felix James Grucci Jr. is an American politician from New York who served in the United States House of Representatives from New York's 1st congressional district as a member of the Republican Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pyro Spectaculars</span> American pyrotechnics company

Pyro Spectaculars is an American pyrotechnics and fireworks company with its primary offices in Rialto, California. They are one of the largest fireworks companies in the world today. Jim Souza is the President and CEO of the company, which was founded in 1979 by his father, Bob Souza. The company shoots hundreds of shows each year in multiple countries, including the largest fireworks show in the United States each year. The company also conducts a series of pyrotechnics classes and seminars to train licensed pyrotechnicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantis, The Palm</span> Luxury hotel resort in Dubai

Atlantis, The Palm is a luxury hotel resort located at the apex of the Palm Jumeirah in the United Arab Emirates. It was the first resort to be built on the island and is themed on the myth of Atlantis but includes distinct Arabian elements. The resort opened on September 24, 2008 as a joint venture between Kerzner International Holdings Limited and Istithmar World.

Disney's Celebrate America is a seasonal fireworks show that premiered on July 3, 2008, at the Magic Kingdom theme park in the Walt Disney World outside Orlando, Florida, on July 4 of that same year at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and on July 1, 2011, at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California. The 15-minute show, produced by Disney Live Entertainment under creative director Steve Davison, celebrates the traditions, spirit and music of the United States of America, and is shown in lieu of the regular fireworks shows on both July 3 and 4 at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, and Disney California Adventure. While these parks use the same soundtrack, the fireworks used are different, due to Anaheim and Orlando's fireworks laws being more strict. This is the first time in history that Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Disney California Adventure share similar fireworks shows.

America's Party is the blanket branding for official New Year's Eve events held on the Las Vegas Strip, organized by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Las Vegas Events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican handcrafted fireworks</span> Mexican firework tradition

Mexican handcrafted fireworks production is mostly concentrated in the State of Mexico in central Mexico. The self-declared fireworks capital of Mexico is Tultepec, just north of Mexico City. Although the main ingredient for fireworks, gunpowder, was brought by the conquistadors in the 16th century, fireworks became popular in Mexico in the 19th century. Today, it is Latin America’s second largest producer, almost entirely for domestic use, with products ranging from small firecrackers to large shells and frames for pyrotechnics called “castillos” (castles) and “toritos”. The industry is artisanal, with production concentrated in family-owned workshops and small factories with a number operating illegally. The relatively informal production and sales of fireworks have made it dangerous with a number of notable accidents in from the late 1990s to the present, despite attempts to safety regulations.

Garden State Fireworks is a pyrotechnics company based in the Millington section of Long Hill Township, Morris County, New Jersey, United States. It was founded in 1890 and has been owned by the same family for four generations. It is one of the largest fireworks manufacturers in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Republican National Convention</span> U.S. political event held in Charlotte, North Carolina

The 2020 Republican National Convention in which delegates of the United States Republican Party selected the party's nominees for president and vice president in the 2020 United States presidential election, was held from August 24 to 27, 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fireworks policy of the United States</span> Overview of the fireworks policy in the United States of America

Fireworks policy in the United States can be different in each jurisdiction.

Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang is a 2016 documentary film directed by Kevin Macdonald about the life and work of Cai Guo-Qiang known for his artwork with the help of gunpowder. The film was released by Netflix on October 14, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Salute to America</span> 2019 event in Washington D.C.

The 2019 Salute to America was an event arranged by the Trump administration held on Independence Day, July 4, 2019, in Washington, D.C. It took place at the National Mall and included presentations of U.S. military vehicles, an address by President Donald Trump from the Lincoln Memorial, flyovers by military aircraft, and a fireworks display. The event occurred alongside pre-existing annual Independence Day events such as the National Independence Day Parade and the PBS-televised A Capitol Fourth concert. It was the first time a U.S. president had addressed a crowd at the National Mall on Independence Day in 68 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration 2020</span>

A Fireworks Celebration at Mount Rushmore held on July 3, 2020, was the first and only use of fireworks at Mount Rushmore since 2008. President Donald Trump spoke at the event, which was also attended by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, host of Entertainment Tonight Mary Hart, First Lady Melania Trump and Trump's eldest son Donald Trump Jr.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Salute to America</span> 2020 event arranged by the Trump administration

The 2020 Salute to America was an event with flyovers and fireworks arranged by the Trump administration held on Independence Day, July 4, 2020. It was the second event of its kind; the first was held a year prior, in 2019. The 2020 event was especially notable for being held amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and for not requiring masks or social distancing, despite recommendations to do so from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health officials due to the pandemic. Although masks were handed out free of charge, few of those that attended wore one.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Roach, John (3 July 2003). "The Explosive History of Fireworks' "First Family"". National Geographic (www.nationalgeographic.com). Archived from the original on July 7, 2003. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 "Fireworks by Grucci: About Us". www.grucci.com. Archived from the original on 9 July 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  3. 1 2 Saxon, Wolfgang (12 Jan 1993). "Felix James Grucci Sr., 87, Dies; Staged Fireworks Extravaganzas". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 Jul 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Richter, Allan (2 July 2000). "The Physics of Fireworks, From Factory to Sky". The New York Times.
  5. "Gotti Settles All Family Business". RadarOnline.com. 30 January 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  6. Lynch, Kevin (Jan 13, 2014). "Official: Dubai smashes largest fireworks display world record with New Year's spectacular". Guinness World Records.
  7. "July 4th fireworks donor lobbied President Trump on tariffs and won a reprieve". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  8. "It's official: Fireworks over the National Mall Thursday". WTOP News. 24 August 2020.
  9. Stein, Lachlan Markay,Sam (22 September 2020). "Trump Campaign Spent Nearly Half a Million on Fireworks". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 16 November 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. Moore, Jack (24 August 2020). "It's official: Fireworks over the National Mall Thursday". WTOP. Retrieved 16 November 2020.