Fireworks are 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.
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.
Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America.
The Montreal Fireworks Festival, is the largest fireworks competition in the world. It has been held yearly in La Ronde over the Dolphin Lake since 1985 and is named after its main sponsor, Loto-Québec. It hosts an estimated 3 million spectators each year, with approximately 6,000 fireworks set off during each show. Each summer, eight or nine pyrotechnical companies from different countries present a 30-minute-long pyromusical show, competing for the Gold, Silver and Bronze Jupiters or trophies.
A Symphony of Lights is a daily light and sound show across the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. It is the world's largest permanent light and sound show, according to Guinness World Records. As of 2017, there were 42 participating buildings in the show.
GlobalFest is an annual cultural celebration in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The Philippine International Pyromusical Competition, initially known as the World Pyro Olympics, is an annual competition among fireworks manufacturers from different countries held in the Philippines which at its current format runs for five to six weeks every Saturday evening at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay. Two countries fire each day; the last participant fires on the final evening of the event.
Pyrotechnicians are people who are responsible for the safe storage, handling, and functioning of pyrotechnics and pyrotechnic devices. Although the term is generally used in reference to individuals who operate pyrotechnics in the entertainment industry, it can include all individuals who regularly handle explosives. However, individuals who handle more powerful materials for commercial, demolition, or military applications are generally referred to as explosive technicians.
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.
Jack Morton Worldwide is an American multinational brand experience agency. It is a subsidiary of The Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG). The company's current chairman and CEO is Josh McCall.
The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) is an American trade association of companies engaged in the consumer fireworks industry.
This is a list of worldwide fireworks competitions.
Sydney New Year's Eve is an annual New Year's Eve fireworks event in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The event currently consists of two fireworks shows, with an evening display known as the "Family Fireworks" held at 9:00 p.m. AEDT, and the main "Midnight Fireworks" held at 12:00 a.m. Fireworks are launched from barges in Port Jackson, as well as nearby landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which serves as the main focal point of the show via lighting and pyrotechnic effects.
The British Firework Championships or National Firework Championships is an annual competition held in Plymouth, Devon, England, every August where judges review fireworks displays from professional fireworks companies and select the best examples.
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.
Big Bay Boom is an annual Independence Day fireworks display in San Diego, California. The event has been put on since 2001. It is claimed to be one of the largest annual fireworks displays in the United States. It is "one of the most logistically complex displays in the world"; from 2010 through 2012 it spanned 14 miles and five locations. The primary sponsor is the Port of San Diego. Since 2014, the fireworks are presented by Pyro Spectaculars, which acquired former presenter San Diego Fireworks. Each year, roughly half a million people congregate on the shores of San Diego Bay to watch the show.
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.
Star Fireworks is a British company that stages professional fireworks displays and special effects for events. It specializes in providing choreographed firework sequences for film and television use. It was formed in 1971. It was known as Bracknell Fireworks until the name of the company was changed in 2005. Its main offices are in Bracknell, Berkshire.
Pyros is a reality television series that follows Montreal based pyrotechnic company, Groupe Fiatlux-Ampleman (GFA), as they travel to Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Congo, France, Germany, and the United States locations and attempt to execute large fireworks displays. Pyros premiered on the Discovery Channel (Canada) on April 24, 2012. It was renewed for a second season which aired May 26, 2013. The show has aired in over 120 countries worldwide including The Weather Channel in the United States and on Discovery Channel in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular was a nighttime show at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. The show is based on the Star Wars film series and features fireworks, projection mapping, fire, lasers, fog effects, and searchlights. During the show, Star Wars imagery is projected onto the park's Chinese Theater facade and surrounding buildings around the park's hub on Hollywood Boulevard. The show had its celebrity-filled World Premiere on Friday, June 17, 2016, replacing the park's similarly-themed display, Symphony in the Stars: A Galactic Spectacular.
