How often have you found yourself sitting there thinking “I wish I had a maximum calibre gold willow fan barrage to use in my displays”?

Well, wonder no more. Here it is, by Epic Fireworks.

The sensational Gold Willow barrage is 45 huge shots fired 5 at a time to completely fill your sky with beautiful golden willows. This is 30 seconds of absolute class and is already a favourite at Epic Fireworks HQ.

The timing is fantastic and there is no other effect in this barrage meaning you get pure gold willows every time from start to finish.

We love hearing your feedback to our fireworks so let us know what you think and visit us soon at the UKs largest fireworks shop, Epic Fireworks HQ!

The very brave, talented and yes quite possibly stupid, Justino Zoppe!

His remarkable juggling skills have shot him to the top of stardom and now he has sealed his destiny as one of the most memorable acts in history by juggling fireworks!!

We must stress again, do not attempt to do this yourself, this is extremely dangerous and should only be performed by trained professionals wearing proper protective clothing and under the supervision of safety experts.

Justino is hailed as the original and only fireworks juggler, who even has a US patent to stop others attempting the same stunt. Who would want to attempt the same stunt eludes me but he is secure in the states that no one else can.

Epic Fireworks offer the largest range of rockets in the UK.
Below is a series of firework videos, focusing on the art of rocket making.

The Imperial Invasion Single Ignition Barrage by Epic Fireworks is 4 weeks from landing in the UK.
The Epic Fireworks Team has been very busy in China testing the fireworks to ensure the quality is of the highest standards.

The 22nd Macao International Fireworks Display Contest will be held in September this year, which will feature teams from 10 nations and regions, the Tourist Office of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government announced on Friday.

Organized by the Tourist Office, the contest will be held respectively on September 11, 18, 22, 25 and October 1 at the sea area in front of the Macao Tower.

Teams from the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Australia, Portugal, Korea, Japan, France, Italy, the Chinese mainland and China’s Taiwan, among which teams from Korea, Italy and China will make their Macao debut.

Each participating team is requested again this year to complement their display with music to enthrall the audience with a light and sound spectacular, according to the Office.

A number of teams who scored high in the past years revisit Macao to vie for the contest again this year. Tamaya Kitahara Fireworks Co. Ltd. from Japan won the championship in 2004, 2005 and 2009, as well as the second prize in 2008. Their unique technique to produce firework shells which are perfectly spherical will again be displayed to win applause of the spectators.

Among the five nights of fireworks display contest, September 22 falls on the Mid-Autumn Festival and October 1 is China’s National Day. Therefore, teams from Italy and China will deploy their skills on China’s National Day to add extra sparkle to the celebrations.

Joao Manuel Costa Antunes, director of the Office, said that he is confident the ten breathtaking fireworks displays will thrill the spectators’ senses of sight and sound, creating wonderful memories for citizens and visitors alike.

Epic Fireworks:

• Largest Range of fireworks in the UK
• Largest Wholesaler of fireworks in the UK
• All fireworks less than half price
• Online store
• 1.3g consumer fireworks
• The best best best fireworks available in the UK

http://photoextremist.com/2009/09/long-exposure-sparklers-tutorial/ Go there to read more about long exposure photography with sparkler fireworks. I show you how to make perfectly symmetrical psychedelic patterns just by using your DSLR, Adobe Photoshop and sparks from your fireworks.

Party goers in Perpignan in France had a nasty surprise at some new health and safety rules this Bastille Day.

The yearly Fire Run event which attracts thousands of spectators and participants was unable to enjoy the usual frantic firework fun as beurecratic Brussels decided that there should be a 15 Metres (thats about 50 feet imperial) gap between the crowd and the pyro.

The tradition is for catalonians dressed like devils and demons to run amok with their fireworks.

Stephane Martin is from the Catalan Devils and Demons Federation, he went all the way to Brussels on Wednesay to personally protest against the safety regulations and to ask for a special cultural exemption. Spain already has said exemption but the far smaller Catalan population in France is having to battle hard to win the right to be dangerous with fireworks.

Oriole Junqueras, a Spanish Catalan MEP, has taken up the cause in France. “We have been doing this for centuries without danger or injuries. Our traditions are under threat,” he said

We all understand the need to be safe with fireworks and it is important to ensure the safety of people at such events. However the events have been going on for longer than anyone who attends them has been alive. Surely anyone who goes should understand any risks they are taking and make their own decision whether to go or not.

Tradition has to be preserved, it is part of the culture and important to make a community feel like a community. We hope a happy compromise can be reached and the Catalan people can enjoy their traditions.

Long exposure photographs of fireworks at Pitt Meadows BC, Canada. Exposures between 5 and 13 seconds, shot on a Canon T1i Camera.

Shot June 5, 2010 on Pitt Meadows Day, strung together into a movie in sequence to give a timelapse effect.

Bastille Day, Frances most important national holiday, commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille was a prison and was seen as a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of Louis the 16th’s Ancient Regime. By capturing this symbol, the people warned France that the king’s power was no longer absolute: they thought power should be shared by the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers.

Although the Bastille only held seven prisoners at the time of its capture, the storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and the fight against oppression for all French citizens; like the Tricolore, the French national flag, it symbolized the Republic’s three main ideals: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity for all the people of France. It signified the end of absolute monarchy, the birth of the sovereign Nation, and, ultimately, the formation of the (First) Republic, in 1792.

Bastille Day was officially declared a national holiday on 6 July 1880 when the new Republic was firmly established. Bastille Day is very important for the French as it symbolizes the birth of the Republic. As in the US, where the signing of the Declaration of Independence heralded the start of the American Revolution, in France the storming of the Bastille began the Great Revolution. In both countries, the national holiday thus symbolises the beginning of a new form of government.

On the one year anniversary of the fall of the Bastille, delegates from every region of France proclaimed their allegiance to a single national community during the Fête de la Fédération in Paris – the first time in history that a people had claimed their right to self-determination.

There are nationwide celebrations every July the 14th but some of the biggest in the country take place in Paris along the famous Champs-Elysees. Thousands of spectators turn out to watch the procession and military bands as they make their way along the tree-lined avenue. After dark, raucous parties, the famous fireman’s ball – where members of the public are invited to attend in every fire station in the city – and a huge fireworks display light up the night.

With a backdrop of the world famous Eiffel Tower the fireworks are certainly spectacular, the Tower itself is often rigged and massive jets of flame shoot from all sides as aerial shells burst high above to wow the cheering crowds. The French do everything with a sense of style and Bastille Day is their time to celebrate liberty, equality and fraternity with a healthy dose of pomp and ceremony. Viva La France !  and Viva Le Fireworks !

Here it is, the fireworks from the world cup 2010 celebrations as Spain clinch victory from the Dutch.

Brilliant fireworks from the Soccer City Stadium where the final was played out. Spain won in the end (as if you didn’t know) but who cares about the football. Show us the fireworks!

We know you all love fireworks videos. So here are a couple of videos of fireworks going way too fast and fireworks going way too slow.

The fast vid is a 30 minute display reduced to just 3 minutes, watch the finale on it – it looks brilliant.

The slow vid really lets you appreciate each individual effect and looks awesome aswell.

Epic Fireworks, for all things fireworks

The Best Finale barrage in the UK – The Thunderous Finale by Epic Fireworks.

Yesterday a full 40 foot container arrived from China, full of the UK’s favorite barrage.

Thunderous Finale – Epic Fireworks flagship single ignition finale barrage.

Anyone who has seen this finale firework in action will tell you that this is one of the best consumer fireworks they have ever witnessed. Huge volleys of 4 shots at a time scream into the air before breaking into phenomenally large coloured palms which overlap giving the effect of a multi shell burst. The next 4 shots explode to produce electrifying clouds of crackles that absolutely fill the sky above you. Beautifully timed to create the perfect display, the sky is never empty with this monstrously powerful barrage. Culminating in a double 8 shot finale volley with silver crackling palms: An absolute essential for any finale.

RRP – £99.99

EPIC PRICE – £49.95 (£38.26 + VAT)

Thunderous Finale Specifications

No. of Shots: 80
Approx Firework Duration: 60 Sec
Firework Dimensions: 20 cm x 32 cm x 25 cm
Bore Size: 25 mm
Noise Rating: 8/10
Firework Classification: 1.3G
Safety Distance: 25 Metres
Vertical or Fan: Vertical

Back by popular demand, the incredible, sky-filling, rocket-lovers delight that is: The Pro Rocket Volley by Paramount Fireworks.

Launching 25 rockets simultaneously into the air to completely obliterate the sky, the Pro Rocket Volley sends all rockets going off at the same time to create a quick and crazy effect that is perfect for your finale.

This was first introduced by Paramount Fireworks 2 years ago and the response was incredible, selling out within 2 months of going on sale.

Many customers gave us really positive feedback about the rocket volleys and used them for the big finale of their show, lighting them immediately after the legendary Thunderous Finale Barrage (more about this coming soon).

We have plenty in stock for this year but they are certain to go fast. You could say these rockets are flying out the door, but we would dream of making such a cheap pun.

Check out the video below and see for yourself.

WHAT: Independence Day Fireworks
WHERE: Philadephia Museum of Art
WHEN: 4th July 2010
WHAT TIME: 10:30pm
The City of Brotherly Love, celebrates Americas independence with a stunning fireworks display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
With a fantastic concert and the 4th of July parade to add to the daytime fun and the patriotic fireworks in the night to light up the skies above Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The whole city of Philadelphia has something to enjoy this Independence Day.
There are loads of great places to watch the fireworks for the 4th of July.
•    Benjamin Franklin Parkway
•    Boathouse Row
•    Lemon Hill
•    Martin Luther King Drive
•    Kelly Drive

But we recommend the Benjamin Franklin Parkway where there will be huge TV screens and speakers all around to bring the fun to the masses.

As always at such large events, it is wise to arrive nice and early to secure a good spot for viewing the fireworks. We suggest bringing garden chairs, blankets, and even a picnic to enjoy the full day. If you are there early enough you might even be able to see the parade, concert and fireworks without even having to move. God bless America.
The concert begins at 8:30pm with songs and performances from Philadelphia’s finest. The all important 4th July parade starts at 11am and kicks off the family friendly day of entertainment and fun in the city of Philadelphia.
Of course the main event will be the fireworks which will fill the sky from about half past ten onwards. Find a good spot, stare up into the 4th July sky and enjoy!

This year’s carnival at the fairground ended with a beautiful firework. Together with the swingboat and the ferris wheel a magnificent sight! Espicially if put into Time Lapse!

Thursday the 1st of July will see official celebrations in Hong Kong to mark the catchy titled “Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day”.

This is to commemorate the official handing over of the sovereignty of Hong Kong from the UK to the Peoples Republic of China. This was officially done in 1997 and Hong Kong now enjoys its 13th year as  an administrative region under the Peoples Republic.

The 1st of July 2010 will be no different and will have a spectacular state organised fireworks display and the customary political type rallies. A great day all round.

If you are lucky enough to be in Hong Kong on the first of July, enjoy the show and let us know what you think of the fireworks.

Feel like creating your own perfect fireworks display?

Well now you can with this fun and simple game. Follow the fireworks, remembering each colour, style and position for each firework. Place your rockets and see how good your firework memory is.

This is a great fun game and is free to play, test your skills at remembering fireworks and keep the crowd happy.

Click the link to play the game and remember, fireworks are for life, not just for 4th of July!

FUNNY FLASH FIREWORKS

Description: Perform the perfect fireworks show! Remember the colors, types and positions of fireworks for each round.
Instructions: Watch each round. Remember the color, type and position of each firework you see. Select the firework and color and drop the fireworks in position in the same order.

WHAT: Independence Day Fireworks

WHERE: San Francisco

WHEN: 4^th July

WHAT TIME: 9:30pm

It just could not be 4^th of July without a fireworks display. This Independence Day is no exception in the fine city of San Francisco with the annual fireworks display over the bay taking centre stage yet again.

The party starts on Pier 39 with a patriotic day of entertainment for the whole family. Live music all day long with rock n roll and classic 80’s tunes is accompanied by live street theatre. All before the big attraction at 9:30 pm, the 4^th July Fireworks display.

The Golden Gate Bridge makes the perfect American image as the backdrop for one of the most beautiful venues for a fireworks display anywhere in the world.

The Pier normally gets busier as the day goes on so try to get there early to ensure you and your family get the best seat in the house for San Francisco’s 4^th July Fireworks spectacular!

WHAT: Freedom over Texas
WHERE: Eleanor Tinsley Park at Buffalo Bayou
WHEN: July 4th
WHAT TIME: 4pm – 10pm (fireworks at 9:30)

Houston, Texas plays host to the largest land based fireworks display in the USA to celebrate Independence Day.

A full evening of events kicks of at 4pm with festival activities for all the family. 4 large music stages will have toe tapping performances from the likes of Cowboy Mouth and Little Big Town. Pat Green will headline the show with his 50 minute set starting at 8:20pm. Before the main event, the 4^th July Fireworks!!

The Fireworks start at 9:30 and will fill the sky with patriotic bursts of red, white and blue. This is the largest land-fired fireworks display in the United States and promises to impress everyone who sees it.

Before the fireworks begin, there will be plenty of entertainment with something for everyone. From the 30,000 square foot kid’s zone, to the amazing military showcase featuring Apache Helicopter flight simulator and a monster M-60 Battle Tank weighing 55 tons! If that is not enough action then the heat is really turned up with the Bud Light Volleyball Championship Series Mens and Womens Finals. Where you can relax with a cold bud and enjoy the fun.

But of course, it would not be 4^th July without the fireworks. Pyro Spectaculars North by Souza will put on an amazing display that will span Buffalo Bayou on the west of Sabine Bridge. A simulcast of a choreographed music medley specially put together for the Independence Day fireworks will accompany the sky filling spectacle. Tune in on KILT 100.3 FM to hear the patriotic music that accompanies the largest land-based fireworks display in the country.

Entrance to the event is free of charge with a donation of one canned item per person to the Houston Food Bank, a great cause and a great deal. The first 30,000 people through the gates will receive a Stars and Stripes hand held fan to keep cool on what promises to be one of the best days of the year in Houston, Texas. Independence Day.

WHAT: Independence Day Fireworks
WHERE: Washington Monument, Washington DC
WHEN: The 4^th of July
WHAT TIME: 9:15pm

BEST VIEWS: See below

What better place to celebrate the 4^th of July than America’s capital. The patriotic view of the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol creates the most patriotic of scenes for Independence Day.

A day long event starts with a parade along Constitution Avenue and ends in spectacular style with the obligatory patriotic fireworks with red, white and blue stars filling the sky above the Washington Monument.

This is expected to be one of the biggest events in the USA’s capital this year and as such it will get busy early. The best way to ensure you get a good spot for the fireworks is to turn up early and enjoy the whole day’s events on America’s birthday. It is a family friendly occasion as all 4^th July events should be, so bring the kids, bring sunscreen and prepare for a fantastic day followed by sensational fireworks.

The National Mall opens at 10am and everyone will have to enter through security checkpoints. Located at the following sites:

• West entrance, or George Washington Memorial Parkway side of Memorial Bridge
• Constitution Avenue and 23rd Street
• Constitution Avenue and 17th Street
• Constitution Avenue between 14th and 15th streets
• Independence Avenue and 14th Street
• Westside of 14th Street, at Jefferson Drive, SW
• Westside of 14th Street, at Madison Drive, SW
• Maine Avenue and Raoul Wallenberg Place, (Le. formerly 15th Street)

Security checks will search through backpacks, bags, coolers and any other handheld luggage and through individuals’ persons as well. Alcohol and fireworks are strictly prohibited for everyone’s safety and these items will be confiscated if found, so leave the beer and bangers at home people.

Everyone is being encouraged to take public transport to and from the celebrations. This will make getting around much easier for everyone, and less traffic means getting home after the fireworks will be much less headache, leaving you free to enjoy 4^th July. The simplest way to reach the National Mall will be by the Metro. There are loads of nearby stations which will have regular departures, keeping the flow of happy revellers moving to and from the amazing fireworks display.

Where are the best places to view the fireworks?

There are loads of great spots around the city to watch the fireworks on July 4^th in Washington DC:

Anywhere on the National Mall

U.S. Capitol

East Potomac Park

FDR Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Jefferson Memorial

Marine Corps Memorial, Arlington Virginia

With this many places to choose from it should be easy to find a nice spot to lay a blanket, bring a picnic and enjoy the Nations Capital’s finest event of the year, the 4^th July fireworks in Washington DC.

If you are looking to spend July 4th elsewhere in the USA, have a look at the options around America.

WHAT: Americafest 2010
WHERE: Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena
WHEN: 4^th of July
WHAT TIME: 9pm

Pasadena will celebrate Independence Day in the usual California style with a stunning display that is billed as the biggest and best fireworks show in Southern California.

What better venue for such an event than the Rose Bowl Stadium? Built in 1922 this historic landmark has played host to massive occasions such as NFL Super Bowl and the New Years Tournament of Roses Football Game (that’s American football for our UK readers).

A day for all to enjoy, Americafest at the Rose Bowl Stadium kicks of at 2pm with a family fun festival and food court. A Military Tribute with the Drum Corps International Performance at 7pm and the main event, the Americafest Fireworks Display at 9pm sharp. The Fireworks will be set off by PyroSpectaculars and is set to impress with a patriotic display fitting for the 4^th of July, America’s birthday.

This will be a full day of entertainment and safe family fun. Music food and fireworks, what more do you need for the 4^th July?

Get on down to the Rose Bowl, Pasadena on July 4^th to witness one of the best fireworks displays in all of Cali.

Firework video of the huge aerial display for the Bath music festival. We have now got the footage from he set up of the display in HD! To see how much effort goes into the display before hand take a look at this 7hr video compressed into less than a minute with some fancy photography. Expand it first to get the maximum impact!

WHAT: Macys Fireworks Display 2010

WHERE: The Hudson River, NYC

WHEN: 4^th July, Independence Day

WHAT TIME: 9:20 pm

BEST VIEWS: See below

This year the best fireworks display in America will illuminate the sky above the Hudson River again. So where is the best place to watch the fireworks on July 4th?

The very best views will be from Manhattans West Side in between 23^rd and 59^th Street. Pedestrian access to the viewing areas will be via the following streets: 24th, 26th through 30th, 34th, 40th through 44th, 47th through 52nd, and 54th through 57th.

If you are on foot, which is recommended, last year there was pedestrian access to the viewing area via: 24th, 26th through 30th, 34th, 40th through 44th, 47th through 52nd, and 54th through 57th. So plenty of places to find a nice spot and crane your neck.

There are brilliant views from Hoboken and Weehawken and some decent spots in Jersey City and North Bergen. There will be big crowds along the Promenade on the Hudson River on Independence Day.

So why the crowds? Why the hype? This is the USA’s premier fireworks display and always guaranteed to impress, wherever you are watching it from. 1,500 shells per minute will be launched into the sky over the Hudson River from 6 barges between 24^th and 50^th Streets. This is going to be 26 minutes of non-stop pyro action that you do not want to miss for the July 4th celebrations.

Remember all the best viewing areas will become busy, early. So get there sharp and get your spot grabbed before the crowds gather. We suggest bringing plenty of water with you, a blanket for sitting on and anything else you think you might need to keep you entertained while waiting for the biggest fireworks display in North America on the 4th of July.

It is normal for the West Side Highway to become a huge street party. Don’t forget to go to the little boys or girls room before you get there for any facilities provided are likely to be unmentionable.

The Macy’s 4^th July Fireworks were first shot into the sky above the Hudson in 1958 and have become a mainstay of New York’s Independence Day celebrations ever since.

Learn more about the performances, the singing and the entertainment that will be provided for all New Yorkers to enjoy on the nations birthday by clicking here.

WHAT: The Montreal International Fireworks Competition
WHERE: La Ronde, Montreal
WHEN: Every Saturday from 12^th June 2010 – 14^th August 2010

The Montreal International Fireworks Competition is among the largest of such events in the world. Every year 8 teams from around the world pit their skills against each other to win the much coveted Gold Jupiter. Each country must put on a 30 minute pyromusical display to wow the judges and win the glory and honour. There is no large cash prize just the glory of winning what is also called the L’International Des Deux Loto-Quebec.

This years fixtures have all been announced,

• Pirotecnica Soldi S.R.L. Italy Saturday 12th June
• San Tai Pyrotechnics Taiwan Saturday 19th June
• Surex Poland Saturday 26th June
• Macedo’s Pirotecnia Portugal Saturday 3rd July
• Fiatlux-Ampleman Quebec Hommage to Celine Dion Saturday 10th July
• Western Enterprises USA Saturday 17th July
• Fireworks Spectaculars Canada Saturday 24th July
• Göteborgs Fyrverkeri Fabrik Sweden Saturday 31st July
• Brezac Artifices France Saturday 7th August
• Awards Ceremony La Ronde Saturday 14th August

Each display is judged on different factors by a jury of spectators using the following criteria:

Quality of display: variety of colour, style of effects

Synchronisation: how accurately and well timed the music is with the pyrotechnics

Pyromusical concept: The originality and artistry of the display, musical choice and how it is used with the fireworks

Overall: The general feeling of the show as a whole.

The best views will be from La Ronde where the judging takes place, however another good vantage point is from the foot of the Jacques Cartier Bridge on the Montréal side of the St. Laurent River.

Wherever you decide to watch the fireworks from you are guaranteed a show to remember from this world class event.

First look at the new artwork for Marvel Fireworks brilliant 50 shot barrage Deep Impact.

This is going to be one of the first new releases from Marvel Fireworks for 2010 and is set to be a very popular barrage already.

Check the video below for the action and let us know what you think.

Brilliant images from the Fiestas del Pilar in the Spanish town of Zaragoza. This festival attracts about 1.5 million people from around the world every year on the 12th of October. Originally a religious festival based on a belief that Virgin Mary appeared to Saint James standing on a pillar. Like all good traditions it has evolved into a large drinking competition and everyone has a great time partying on the streets and enjoying the many sights and sounds of the celebration.

The party lasts for about 9 days normally and no one is left out of the entertainment, the many bars and restaurants around the town are full of revellers and the surrounding neighbourhoods contribute with their own fireworks displays. Throughout the celebrations there is music, dancing and drinking in good measures. If you are stuck for where to party this October get yourself to Zaragoza.

A mighty boot full of giant rockets for a happy birthday party.

Everyone chips in to help at Epic Fireworks, except the guy taking the pictures.

Skip and Steve plan another mad display for a wedding. These guys like to buy their fireworks by the tipper load!

Every day we get loads of happy smiling customers through the doors of Epic Fireworks. Make your summer party shine into the night with the ultimate way to end the day, fireworks!

Yeah yeah yeah, uh, word, yeah. etc etc.

These rapping firefighters get the message of fireworks safety out for the 4th of July in a comical and entertaining way.

Rapping firefighters from the US drop a fat beat and spit some exceptional lyrics in a bid to make the whole business of fireworks safety more fun and appealing to the youf of today.

Some light hearted entertainment for Independence Day by the Midlands FD.

The more astute of you may have noticed this is not actually a firework and is, in fact, a peacock.

We thought it looked good though and was worth sharing with you all.

We are currently working on a peacock tail effect firework. Might not look quite like this but hopefully something close.

A fantastic sculpture made from the Lydney Festival with the intent to burn it at the end. Seems such a shame for something so beautiful and well made. However a Fire Festival is not a festival without a fire.

This incredible looking construction was designed by a local teenager who was no doubt delighted to see it up in flames.

The 2 bikes leaning on it kind of ruins the magic slightly, but still a great pic.

Well done from everyone at Epic Fireworks

If nuclear power stations were built on the moon and they did fireworks displays it might look something similar to this.

On Sunday the 30th May 2010 Epic Fireworks did a little display for some friends of ours who were getting married. The wedding was a big success and a great party. Needless to say the highlight was the fireworks and the show was fantastic. We have captured the display from 2 angles. One camera was focused on rockets alone and the other was a crowds eye view showing what it looked like from where the audience was standing.The audience video was shot by Kaushal Patel, the rocket video by Epics own Paul. The rockets were all hand lit by Paul and Big Mex, the barrages hand lit by handsome pyrotechnician extraordinaire Graeme Connelly.

As you can hear from the crowd there was a lot of excitement on the night and a great time was had by all. Check both videos for a completely different view of the fireworks.

Every firework used is available from Epic Fireworks right now to order on phone or on the internet, delivery is usually free and we are always happy to advise on how to set up and fire your own display. Make it a night to remember, with Epic Fireworks.

Everyone keeps asking what the big rockets at the end are, Sky Thriller made exclusively for Epic Fireworks. The UKs home of fireworks.

Pictures of the display to come soon.

Nature doing its usual thing of completely amazing us.

Found on the beautiful island of Little Liouciou off Taiwan, Known as Vase Crag, this is a coral limestone that stands about 9 metres in height.

It is thought by the islanders to be a guardian of this beautiful land and by tourists to be one of the most spectacular sights to see.

We think it resembles a firework more than a vase of flowers, but then we are that way inclined.

This is a stunning image, a beautiful collection of colours and light and electric sparkles that really looks amazing.

It just shows you how amazing a photograph you can take with a bit of camera know how and a lot of imagination, and most likely a decent collection of pyrotechnics as well.

If you have seen a better photo with some hardcore sparkles involved we would love to see it. Send us all your fireworks photographs to Epic Fireworks and we will put them right here on the worlds best fireworks blog the Epic Fireworks Blog.

Sparkler art question mark.

No need to be confused by this, this is just another great example of sparkler art.

Sparkler art is the clever use of sparklers and photography, combined to make brilliant art like this.

We love sparkler art of all kinds, send us yours and we will feature it on the Epic Fireworks Blog, the best fireworks blog in the world.

Beautiful shot of coloured fireworks creating a reflection on the river.

This really shows off the quality of the colours in the fireworks, while they appear as streaks in the sky with fairly faint colours, they appear on the water as bright and vivid bands of bold colour. This is partly due to the way the camera picks up the colour and the long exposure on the water allows the full quality of the colours to be captured.

Photographing fireworks is an artform in itself. Learn more about the art of taking the perfect fireworks photo by clicking the link.

The port of Ramsgate is marking the seventieth anniversary of Dunkirk with a grand fireworks display.

Very possibly not the safest place to stand when the sparks are flying.

This is a very cool – but possibly dangerous to take – photograph.

The sparks on the ground are fantastic and really help bring the image to life, as does the pose that the chap in the middle of the picture is striking.

Remember, if you are attempting a similar photograph yourself to exercise extreme caution and always be safe with fireworks.

Fire and dancing at the same time, it looks great but do not try it after a few beers, you could end up with singed bits.

This is a nice photograph and the long exposure has made interesting swirls of the fire. The chap sitting relaxed in the background helps us to feel that we are a part of the audience enjoying the show. Despite the action and the fire, it is a relaxing photograph and features everyones favourite medium, fire!

Senoia is gearing up for its fifth annual Memorial Day festival and big fireworks display.

The annual Memorial Day Celebration and Festival runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 31 in historic downtown Senoia and includes a 2 p.m. patriotic parade. The day’s events will be followed by the evening fireworks show at dusk at the ballfields on Howard Road.

Make plans to bring the family for a fun day of patriotic celebration, invite representatives of sponsor Senoia Downtown Development Authority.

The keynote speaker for this year’s festival and a parade participant is Tommy Clack, captain, U.S. Army, retired. He is a Vietnam veteran and a triple amputee who has traveled extensively in all 50 states and many foreign countries speaking about his life experiences.

The 116th Army Band, Civil and Revolutionary War Re-enactors, Veterans, Civic Groups, Businesses, Scouts, and Shriners are some of the other parade participants. World War II veterans are the collective grand marshals. A pre- and post-parade show will be emceed by Charlie Filkins and Scott Sargeant, The Car Guys. entertainment, a food court, children’s activities and vendors will be available throughout the day.

Space is available for antique, handmade arts and crafts vendors (no resale items, please) as well as parade participants.

As families gather for the fireworks display at dark at the ball fields located on Howard Road there will be hot dogs, ice cream, Hawaiian shaved ice and other treats available. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy a beautiful fireworks display, invites the DDA.

A scaredy cats eye view of fireworks.

This is what it looks like if you hide inside your jacket when watching fireworks. Clever photo, great idea we love it.

Send us your funny, odd or just downright brilliant fireworks photos and we will post them right here on the worlds best fireworks blog, Epic Fireworks.

beautiful painting of the Statue of Liberty with fireworks erupting all around.

This is a fantastic and patriotic piece of art that will get all Americans hearts flowing with fond memories of Independence Day.

There is no greater day in the USA for fireworks. Millions of firecrackers, sparklers and aerial shells will be sold across the nation in the weeks up to the fourth of July.

Learn more about the largest fireworks display in the US of A here, Macys Fireworks 2010

Brilliant Palm Tree’s eye view of a fireworks display in action.

This is a really cool shot with a well chosen angle and the palm tree so close to the camera gives a great presective and lets us see just how big the fireworks down below are.

Fireworks often look good when viewed from such a high vantage point and can make for some extraordinary photographs.

Epic Fireworks have just learnt that Bath will be having a huge Aerial Fireworks Display from the top of the Royal Victoria Park on Friday the 28th May.

The Firework Display is to mark the start of the Bath international music festival and can be seen for free by everyone in the town centre. The display will use over 700 shells, ranging from sizes of 2″ to 8″, featuring a huge mix of colours and shapes and the finale will close the show with a huge golden and crackling end.

The display is being set up and fired by Sirotechnics in conjunction with Northern Lights Fireworks. Sirotechnics will be filming this extravaganza and we will be bringing the video to you in HD very soon!

Sirotechnics are a new exciting display company offering displays of any size from Wedding Fireworks to huge Corporate Firework Displays like this one in Bath.

A lovely painting by George Babier entitled: Fireworks in Venice for Fetes Galantes

It is often said that artist George Barbier’s extravagant theater costumes gave flamboyance an entirely new meaning. Flamboyance is shown well in this painting where Barbier (1882 – 1932) portrays a gondola scene with opulence aplenty and the venetian aristocracy enjoying themselves to the fullest with splendid fireworks going off overhead.

Barbier, is famed for his inspirational design and artwork and flourished in the Art Neaveau period… well, we don’t know a right lot about art, but we know what we likes, and we likes this.

Now to get back to real life, here is a lovely and peaceful scene of a boat on the water with fireworks going off above having been launched from the boat. Such boats are often used for fireworks displays in major cities all across the world. Usually reffered to as barges, some of the best fireworks displays on the planet use them to make the magic happen, some notable displays are the London New Years Eve display and the Macy’s 4th of July display in New York. Being set off from the river gives the fireworks the space they need to perform and the safety distances required.

By far the best video showing slow motion fireworks in action that we have ever seen. The boys from Weco Fireworks doing what they do best.

This video features intense close ups of what happens in the milliseconds after you light a rocket. You can see every little reaction taking place and the raw energy that makes fireworks so incredible.

The shells are detonated at ground level giving a uniqe opportunity to see what happens to the stars of the shell as the burn and spread out.

First class job and a first class video.

Some beautiful images from the Dubai World Cup Horse Racing in Meydan. A thrilling photo finish was the highlight of the days events to declare who would win the 10 million dollar prize money.

Gloria de Campeao led the race most of the way and held off some of the best racehorses in the world to be declared the glorious champion and scoop his Brazilian owner 10 million big ones.

But who cares about all that. Check out those fireworks.

This beautiful photograph really sets the scene well.

The crowds gather round to enjoy the fireworks over the lake. Framing the shot with the torii in the centre, the photographer has given the eye a focal point to rest on while taking in the surroundings. The magnificent red glow silhouettes the torri, the trees and the spectators.

We like this picture a lot, not least because it taught us the word torii, not sure when the next opportunity will arise to use the wordbut its nice to learn something new.

One of few times you will ever see an elephant and a firework in the same picture.

And you thought you had trouble with your dog messing the carpet on the 5th November?

These brilliant pictures were taken during the fireworks ceremony at the 60th anniversary of the coronation of the Thai King, Bhumidol Adulyadej at Bangkok’s Royal Plaza in Thailand. A great excuse to excercise the elephants and set of some fireworks.

Brilliant and spooky sparkler art for Halloween. This is very easy to create, all you need is 5 sparklers, 5 volunteers who can spell and a good quality camera. Dead easy.

We always love to see new sparkler art, send us yours to sales@epicfireworks.com and we will feature it right here on the worlds leading fireworks blog!

Epic Fireworks stock the largest range of consumer rockets available to the public. Everything from small garden rocket packs to big single 1.3g rockets. We even upload the videos of the firework rockets for you to view before you buy.

Ok, so what does anamorphic mean? Well, Anamorphosis is a distorted projection or perspective requiring the viewer to use special devices or occupy a specific vantage point to reconstitute the image, that goes without saying.

So an anamorphic image means you gotta stand in a certain place to get it. Got it? Good.

The talented street artists that created this brilliant artwork did so to celebrate the centenary of Platt Fields public park in Rusholme, Manchester. They could not afford a fireworks display so figured this was the next best thing. We think they did brilliantly. Well done to the friends of Platt Fields, this is a great project and makes for a very interesting and entertaining film.

This was a great way to celebrate 100 years of Platt Fields public park and we wish them another happy 100 years.

Many thanks to the Plough Pub for posting the HD Firework video and the fantastic firework photograph’s of the 2009 Bonfire Night Fireworks Display. All fireworks from Epic Fireworks.

Click here to see another firework video from one of our customers.

A stunned Moscow crowd was treated to a spectacular fireworks display on the 9th of May for the Victory Day festivities.

This is a traditional display that dates back to the days of the Second World War, fireworks were used back then to mark all the great victories reported in the media to boost the morale of the people and the troops.

This beautiful display for this years celebrations was enjoyed by thousands of Moscovites and visitors lining the busy streets and sharing in the party. Enjoy the video!

video footage from the successful world record rocket launch attempt at Cebu City in the phillipines.

The pyro-works team in Cebu City lit 110,000 rockets in less than 30 seconds to create a new world record for the number of rockets launched. This incredible achievement was a pyrotechnic highlight to the Cebufest event and attracted crowds of thousands.

Well done Cebu!!

Festivities have been held in Moscow throughout the day and were topped off by a spectacular fireworks display.

The fireworks show kicked off at 22 00 Moscow time and crowds watched from a variety of sites in the capital. 4,500 fireworks lit up the Moscow sky.

The tradition dates back to the war years of 1943-1945. At that time, fireworks marked all the victories reported in the media. That was a way to boost the morale of the nation and encourage troops for further achievements.

Interestingly, the cannons used for fireworks were produced back in 1942-1943. Some of them have marks from enemy bombs.

Yes some witty and creative person has made some replica rockets similar to those used by the legend that is Gandalf from the movies Lord of the Rings.

As we are all aware, Gandalf was the ultimate firework maker and we at Epic Fireworks are currently head-hunting him to design rockets for us as well. Until we find him we will continue to make the best rockets and stock the largest range in the UK.

A nice collection of some very old fireworks from way back in the day. These have been beautifully preserved, note the quality of the colours, simple artwork but still with good impact. Also notice the great names. Firework names have always been important. They give a feeling of what can be expected from a firework, a clue to its effects, Scarlet Fury, or Carnival Spray have very obvious sounding effects. Star Hell is a little less obvious but blatantly appealing to the lads. Sometimes a good name can sell a firework as much as attractive artwork.

Back when bangers were bangers. If you are too young to remember bangers, they were brilliant. One of the highlights for many of us during the bonfire night season was buying a box of bangers and risking life and limb (or at least extremities) while enjoying the excitement of safely placing them upright in soft ground and lighting the rounded dome at arms length and retiring to a safe distance. These are so old that there is no rounded dome to light, just the strange looking protrusion from the top.

Some king size sparklers in the good old fashioned packaging. Note the text on the wrapper: Hold the tip in a flame until it sparkles – good advice. For outdoor use – good advice again. Not ot be held near clothing – excellent, you can tell they really though it through. Take care of children – good advice generally, even better when talking about fireworks.

Very simple colours and designs adorn the plain paper packet. A long way from the foil used today with all its shiny and multi-coloured attractiveness. Yet, there is something comforting about the simple and understated design. It harkens back to better days when perhaps the contents was more important than presentation. To often we are bombarded by bright colourful packaging that is full of promises, only to be disappointed when we tear the seal and see what is inside. For fireworks artwork at least, sometimes less is more.

If you enjoyed this trip down memory lane, explore some other brilliant and nostalgic images from the past with some old photographs from bonfire nights gone by.

This excellent photograph was taken at Thunder over Louisville as part of the airshow that precedes the largest fireworks display in the USA.

Awesome sight and the crowd must have loved it. A little bit panicking for anyone who saw it and was not aware of the airshow. Of course, anyone in Louisville that was not aware of the airshow would have had to have been living under a rock for about the last 20 years. So that is very unlikely.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, its nothing more than the earths sun, doing its usual thing and burning at 5,400 ºC.

If you could get that onto a rocket stick I would be most impressed.

This beautiful image shows just what can be created with some imagination and a decent camera.

Remember to send us your pics of anything that you think would look good on the Epic Fireworks Blog.

Some excellent stash photos curtesy of Carol and Bryan:

Superb stash photos from last years Epic Fireworks competition winners! Carol and Bryan went home with a meaty mountain of pure quality pyro!

The lucky competition winners chose their prize from the huge range of single ignition firework barrages and rockets that we sell all year round. With a total of £2000 worth of premium quality 1.3G fireworks. The best in the UK.

Don’t forget, for your chance to win the next Epic Fireworks Super Prize Draw, all you have to do is enter your details on our website and become part of the UKs leading firework family! Epic Fireworks, the UKs home of fireworks.

This is a cool picture showing what the instant of ignition looks like when you light a bottle rocket.

A whole load of sparks and a brilliant golden trail lead up to the sky. Awesome.

Send us your rocket pics and we will publish them right here on the worlds best fireworks blog.

Welcome to EPIC FIREWORKS – the display products division of Jimmy’s Wholesale Fireworks Ltd.

Brilliant video from the good people at discovery channel showing how the massive aerial pyrotechnic shells are made.

Making fireworks is an art form and should not be tried at home.

Funky light grafitti art. Not exactly fireworks but very cool all the same. The image above shows some trees and grass and clouds and birds. All made using nothing but light and clever photography.

Here we see some stormy clouds over a city. Isnt it amazing what some long exposure photography and some lights can create.

Try it yourself its very easy to make and only needs imagination and experimentation. For the best results you should use a tripod when taking your pictures. The exposure on your camera should be set at somewhere between 10 and 30 seconds, but can be as long as you need to get the effect you want. Set the camera to iso100 and close the aperture as much as you can.

If you want to be in the picture just stand still for a short time and you will appear, if you want to remain annonymous simply keep moving and you will be little more than a ghost like blur amongst your trails of light.

Sparkler art is a great example of light grafitti and one of our favourites. Give it a go and send your pics to us here at Epic Fireworks. We will put the best images right here on the Epic Fireworks Blog.

Who has ever heard of Cebu?

This small province in the middle of the Philippines is made up of 168 islands and has a population of just about 3.5 million.
So what makes Cebu special?

They are just about to attempt to break the world record for the “most firework rockets launched in 30 seconds”.  This was set in 2006 at the British Fireworks Championship and currently stands at 56,405 rockets.

Britain has since tried to break the record with a failed attempt in 2009 110,000 rockets were launched from a pier in Bournemouth in under 10 seconds however the officials from the Guinness World Records did not confirm the record. The rules surrounding the record are very strict. Each rocket must be launched separately from its own tube or platform, must be launched within a 30-second window from the instant of the first launch and must be designed to reach a minimum altitude of 30 meters.
120,000 rockets will be rigged up and fired at 7pm on the 8th of May 2010, that’s a lot of rockets.
Anyone looking to attend the World Record Attempt is reminded not to expect a magnificent display. The idea is to get the rockets launched in as short a time as possible, not to make it look spectacular. Saying that, there will be a fireworks display after the event, being set of at 9pm.
The whole evening and indeed the weeklong series of events surrounding it is being called Cebu-Fest and will have entertainment for everyone. Including; carnivals, a marathon ,concerts, fairs, along with plenty of sporting events, boxing, MMA, football and even a cock derby (anyone knowing what a cock derby is should email us as we are really not sure and unwilling to hazard a guess).

Of course the highlight will be the fireworks and the world record rocket launch attempt. Brian Benjamin Lim, the chairman of Cebu Fest said:
“The world record attempt will bring recognition to the ingenuity of our local talents. It will prove that we are very much capable of competing with players of the global pyrotechnic industry. I urge Cebuanos to come down and enjoy this once in a lifetime spectacle that no one else in the world has witnessed before,”

We look forward to seeing the results next week. This is the event that could really put Cebu on the world pyrotechnics map! Good luck guys!

China has turned on the epic fireworks and dancing water to launch the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The country hopes the event will showcase its achievements to the rest of the world.

Most of the fireworks were spectacular, although many of the “oohs” and “aahs” were reserved for the explosives that shot off bridges and fountains that sent water up as high as 80 metres.

China’s financial capital welcomed French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso yesterday.

In one spectacular episode, 6,000 LED fuchsia, red and yellow balls floated in the murky Huangpu River, creating a bright sea of balloons against the black water.

“The World Expo is a grand event to showcase the best achievements of human civilisation,” President Hu Jintao told a welcome dinner for foreign leaders. “It is also a great occasion for people from around the world to share joy and friendship.

“As the first registered World Expo hosted by a developing country, the Shanghai Expo will be an opportunity for China and also for the world,” Mr Hu added.

The Expo aims to showcase the latest technology and inventions from 189 countries ranging from the US and Germany to North Korea and financially devastated Iceland and Greece.

Some of the rules being enforced are harmless enough, such as warnings to Shanghaiese not to walk around in public in their pyjamas. Kites are banned near the site, and you cannot buy knives in supermarkets either.

The security measures include swabbing travellers for explosives at Chinese airports, X-raying bags on the subway and even warning people not to hang their laundry outside.

Shanghai security authorities have set up hotlines with security officers of all 242 countries, regions and international organisations that are involved in the Expo, which will run from May 1st to October 31st.

All of this costs money. The official version has it that China spent €3.19 million – double the outlay for the Beijing Olympics – to host the Expo.

Local media says that once you factor in the infrastructure spend and other measures to modernise and upgrade China’s financial centre, that figure looks more like €44 billion.

The Expo has had an easier run- in than the Olympics, whose preparations were marred by the torch run around the world, which became a focal point for protests against China’s policy on Tibet.

People were harassed for using “protest zones” around the city and the authoritarian nature of the government was a topic of debate heading into the games.

The approach on Expo is much more sophisticated and the crackdown on dissent has been more low-key than it was before the Olympics.

This is surely one of Mr Beans funniest moments ever. Not wishing to spend hours painting his house, Mr Bean gets a can of paint and sticks a firework in it. In true Mr. Bean style things do not go exactly as planned.

Hilarious, if unsafe, use of fireworks. Remember kids, do not try this at home. Mr Bean is a fool.

Not the famous Firebird Roman Candle by Epic Fireworks, rather an arty shot of a bird shaped frame on fire.

We found this on Flickr. This is by Paul McMenamin of P.McM Photography and he bigs up Pierre-Alain Hubert in his Flickr account.

Very cool we are sure you will agree. It is always nice to see fire being used in art in different forms. This is a beautiful way of using pyro to make art.

This is an extremely popular and excellent value rocket box with 58 top of the range 1.3G classification rockets. Containing a lot of the best selling rockets of the past 3 years, this is the perfect way to compliment a bonfire night fireworks display and add constant variety with high and impressive effects.

Included in the Professional Rocket Box 2:

12 x Supreme Rockets – perhaps the best small rockets on the market today

21 x Mega Rockets – the best selling rocket pack of 2009

5 x Heat Seeker Rockets – beautiful coloured dahlia effects

5 x Space Blaster Rockets – massive bursts that defy believe

5 x Thunder Blast Rockets – loud bangs and crackles and glitter

5 x Super Starburst Rockets – very colourful and good loud bangs

5 x Echo Bomb Rockets – nothing but loud loud loud bangs

For incredible value, quality and design, the Professional Rocket Box 2 is the best bargain in rockets in the UK. At just £69.95 per box, that works out at an average of only £1.20 per rocket.

Where else in the country could you get this quality of rockets at this price? Nowhere, that’s why we are called Epic Fireworks. Remember, every rocket in this pack is 1.3G classification and guaranteed to bang louder than any rocket from a supermarket or garden centre. Try them for your display, you will not be disappointed.

For our full range of rockets visit epicfireworks.com and be prepared to be amazed.

Macys 4^th of July Fireworks 2010 have been confirmed to be taking place above the Hudson River, this is the second year in a row that the Hudson River has been favoured over the East River which it seems has ceased to be the waterway of choice for the legendary fireworks display.

Last year the fireworks display was moved from the East River to the Hudson in honour of Henry Hudson and the 400 years since he first sailed up that famous river. This has of course affected the annual viewing pleasures of thousands on the East River, who now have to crane their necks to get a whiff of the smoke, so why more the show?

Good question, very insightful of you reader. Well, the good people at Macys have said that the move this year was to better provide viewing for the countless thousands of spectators that annual gather to view the “best fireworks display in America” and to better accommodate the mighty barges employed to launch said pyrotechnics from.

The 2010 Macys Fireworks 4^th of July display by SOUSA Fireworks will have over 40,000 shells launched from 6 barges in the Hudson River. The show, like any big show nowadays, will be synchronised to music. The musicians supplying the tunage for the night’s events will be none other The New York Pops Orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, along with gospel, choral groups and barbershops quartets. Classy.

We will of course be updating this blog to let you know all you need to know about the best 4^th of July Party in the U.S of A. Stay tuned!!

The second in our series on artist Derek Jones and his fascinating and colourful look at the world of fireworks.

Derek captures the wonder of colour by focusing on the variety and contrast of tones and shades.

Incredible blue stars surround the trees, bringing the whole scene to life.

Unusual colours here draw our attention to the movement and the action.

This is a great image, very unusual squiggles and cool chrysanthemums.

This is incredible, looks like a painting that the artist has smeared before the paint has dried.

Black and white often looks dull and lifeless. This looks like a freezeframe from a movie, with the trees interestingly outlined in white.

“The Day the cow sneezed” is a classic book by renowned author Jim Flora. This brilliant and vibrant piece of artwork was originally a 2 page spread inside the book. It has been rereleased as a fine art print by popular demand.

“The Day the cow sneezed” was originally published in 1957 and is considered a classic piece of childrens literature with some stunning visual art.

image from jim flora book "the day the cow sneezed"

The cows sneeze finally caused the outrageous scene above after a series of catastrophic events. Somewhat like chaos theory but with better pictures and less fractals. The fireworks around the giant ferris wheel look fantastic.

This is very cool and would look great hanging on anyones wall. As long as you have $175 for one of the limited edition prints that have been made. The book is scheduled to be reprinted in Autumn 2010 so demand is likely to increase for this beautiful piece of artwork. Check it out at jimflora.com

chicken little enjoying the fireworks

Who could fail to like a small cartoon chicken watching fireworks. Give the chicken the name “Chicken Little” and you are surely on to a winner.

Be the first in your class/town/workplace to get this incredible and entertaining background, and show the world how much you love that little chicken.

download it at ba.ckground.com

A picture drawn by a 10-year-old boy will be used to create a 12-metre wicker figure to be set alight at Oxford’s South Park.

Reuben Morris-Dyer’s image of a tribal warrior was selected from more than a thousand entries for the competition to design the structure.

Artist Dan Barton said the figure would take six weeks to build.

It will then go on display around Oxfordshire ahead of the Round Table Fireworks Display in November.

Mr Barton said: “It’s a fantastic design and will look spectacular. We can get schoolchildren involved in helping to build it and may put it near the M40.”

Reuben, a pupil at Stanford in the Vale Primary School, said he was delighted to win but will have mixed feelings in November.

“I know it will have to get burnt but it is a bit of a shame. I guess it couldn’t last forever,” he added

The sky’s the limit when it comes to fireworks.

They will keep getting better and bigger and more spectacular, as long as there are chemists concocting new compounds, offshore manufacturers making affordable products and software developers coming out with the programs.

So says Bill Raynault, president of the Canadian Fireworks Association, which held its annual convention in Hamilton over the weekend. It began with a bang Friday night with about 90 minutes of brilliant displays by some of the conference delegates anxious to show off their products.

And it continued Saturday with seminars on such topics as choreography, municipal fireworks bylaws and the federal government’s Explosive Regulatory Division.

About 55 delegates from across Canada met to discuss developments in an industry that’s estimated at $300 million in Canada and nearly $1 billion in the United States.

Raynault, who is the western sales representative for Mystical Fireworks, said the industry suffers only slightly during economic down times, including the most recent recession.

“People need to feel good,” he says. “They still drink alcohol, they still go to movies, they still buy fireworks.

“They just don’t buy as much. But we didn’t suffer as much as other industries.”

The numbers seem to bear out that observation — the American Pyrotechnics Association reports that about 14,000 displays lit up the U.S. skies last 4th July.

And in 2008, 213.2 million pounds of fireworks were set off, about one-eighth in displays and the rest by consumers.

Raynault says pyrotechnics technology has gone through the roof with new chemical compositions that produce new colours and special effects.

Simulation and choreography software that used to cost $5,000 to $10,000 is now “ridiculously affordable” in the low hundreds of dollars, he says.

Raynault says fireworks may look like so much money going up in smoke but are economically beneficial because they draw people in.

He claims Walt Disney World once stopped its famous nightly fireworks extravaganza for a period of time and believes they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue a day.

The promise of a fireworks display at the end of the day “keeps people around for the full event,” he says.

The Saint Mary Mqabba Fireworks Group won this year’s prestigious ground fireworks festival, held in Floriana on Saturday 26th April 2010.

The prize adds another award to the group’s list of victories, having already won numerous aerial fireworks prizes, both nationally and internationally.

The group was the first winner of the aerial fireworks competition in the 2006 Fireworks Festival held in the Grand Harbour.

The year after they went on to beat competition from Italy, England, Romania, Spain, Japan and China to win the world fireworks championship held in Rome by the name of Caput Lucis (Capital of Light).

The Saint Mary Society in Mqabba is this year celebrating its centenary since it was founded under the name King George V Club in 1910 to celebrate the titular feast of Mqabba.

Some of you may know, some of you may not, that Epic Fireworks is the display division of Jimmy’s Wholesale Fireworks Ltd.

So in honour of Jimmy who started it all, here is Jimmy’s very own sparkler art.

We love sparkler art and think it is the best thing you can do with a sparkler. Send us your best pictures and we will feature them right here on the worlds best fireworks blog.

The best-selling Predator 500 from Epic Fireworks. This monstrously popular barrage has 500 shots fired over two and a half minutes (that’s about 3 shots per second) with a tremendous mix of effects including crackling spinners, whistling comet tails and loud bangs with a superb finale of large spinning silver tails. This is a great firework for filling in a long duration for a very reasonable cost. At less than £30 a piece they are more than affordable and are extremely popular at New Years parties and bonfire night fireworks displays. Enjoy the video and let us know what you think in the comments section.

No. of Shots ——500

Effect ————– crackles, strobes, spinners, fish, bangs, comets, whistles

Colour ————- red, silver, green

Duration ———– 2 minutes 30 seconds

Calibre ————-17mm

Above: The Predator atop the mighty Pegasus fan barrage.

WHAT – KaBoom Fireworks

WHERE – Candlestick Park San Francisco

WHEN – May 22, 2010

WHAT TIME – 10:15–10:30 p.m.

BEST VIEWS – most places around the bay, unless its foggy

KaBoom Fireworks in San Francisco, sponsored by KFOG radio.

Besides the long lingering question, why do all radio stations in America have 4, seemingly random, letters before the word radio as their name? The big question is how the fireworks will look in their new home?

The KaBoom Fireworks display is moving to Candelstick Park, the famous home of the San Francisco Giants for many years and the spot where the Beatles played their very last commercial concert; a good bit of history there.

KFOG’s annual event was forced to move from its previous spot after safety concerns led to structural tests on pier 30 and 32. It was discovered that these piers are no longer strong enough to hold the mass of equipment and vehicles required to put on this multi-million dollar event. Never mind, onwards and upwards.

The event will be synchronised to a soundtrack that has not been confirmed yet but it is expected to be contemporary music mixed with some old family favourites. This is a very family friendly night that attracts about 400,000 people. It is popular to hire boats and take part in boat trips out onto the bay for the very best view of the fireworks.

Tickets are a reasonable $15 a piece which is not bad considering a world class fireworks display and a fun friendly environment await all. Lets just hope its not too foggy!!

and here it is, a little bit of the 2010 KFOG KaBoom Fireworks Display video from Candlestick Park

Talk about an event with a bang.

The Canadian Fireworks Association is hosting its fifth annual convention in Hamilton this Friday, promising more than two hours of fireworks for the public.

“It’ll be the biggest fireworks display they’ll ever see in Ontario, hands down,” said Sean Morris, CFA’s vice-president. “People will be mighty impressed when they leave. They’re going to see some cool things that aren’t normally done.”

The event begins in Bayfront Park with military re-enactors from area forts firing cannons.

After two fireworks product demonstrations, a consumer contest will pit Eastern and Western Canada against each other. Two individuals from Calgary and Ontario were both given $3,000 from the association to purchase consumer fireworks, Morris said.

They’ll compete for the title of best display. Organizers are still looking for judges.

Four professional displays and a pyromusical show will end the night.

The event started to get industry leaders together to learn about new products.

It costs the CFA $3,000 to 5,000 to open the event to the public, Morris said. Though the event is free, he said he hopes people will bring donations to help cover the cost.

One display can take about 20 hours to design and complete because organizers use consumer fireworks. To get a high-grade show, they must shoot nine of one product to get a big effect, for example.

Whats the first thing you remember when going to a fireworks display? Warm clothing? Perhaps some snacks? Some throat sweets to help ease the ooohs and ahhhhs? Well you are doing it all wrong. The most important thing nowadays for a fireworks display is a rubber duck.

Here you can see how much this rubber duck is enjoying the fireworks. So much so in fact that he has negleted to face the right direction. Although sometimes its more about being seen that seeing.

We like fireworks pictures of all descriptions. Even if they are a bit odd like these 2.

Send us your fireworks pictures to sales@epicfireworks.com and we will put the best right here on your favourite fireworks blog.

Vancouver’s massive annual fireworks extravaganza that sees fireworks companies from all over the world showing off their skills is in dire need of extra funding.

The non-profit event has struggled over the past couple of years to find the necessary investors to allow the show to go ahead.

$350,000 has to be found to ensure that the fireworks can go on this summer. Last year a restaurant group and local radio station dug deep and chipped in the difference to fund the free event and ensure other sponsors wouldn’t bail. However this year the organisers are struggling to produce the 4 million needed to keep Vancouver’s biggest annual event alive.

The event features teams from across the globe setting off spectacular displays from a barge in English Bay to a variety of music.

The free event attracts families and visitors from all over and it would be a real shame if it could not go ahead this year because of a lack of money, so dig deep you sponsors and business’ in Vancouver, your display needs you!

Stunning photograph of fireworks over the water, note the numerous fishing boats enjoying the display. Wouldn’t you love to be in one of those boats watching the show? Those lucky fisherman.

We  love the reflection on the water with the green light, and the silver palm in the middle of the green chrysanthemum is fantastic.

What I really like about this picture is the sense of scale that you get from it. You can tell from the boats in the foreground and the buildings away in the distance, how massive the fireworks are. Scale is notoriously difficult to gauge in images of fireworks, this photograph has managed to give the perspective beautifully.

Take note fireworks photographers, this is how its done. Something that we instinctively know the size of close to the camera, with something that we can judge the size of in the distance near the action. This is the perfect combination to really demonstrate the size.

Of course this can be manipulated to make fireworks look bigger OR smaller. For example, if you took a load of model boats then they would appear to be further away than they are. This would be construed as cheating however and certainly be frowned upon.

If you have any cool pictures of your fireworks we would love to see them, we dont even mind if you want to manipulate the scale and try to fool us, in fact that might be fun! Send them to sales@epicfireworks.com, the best ones will win a prize.

The Youth Olympic Games will be held for the first time ever in Singapore this year. This landmark occasion will see young people around the world competing as athletes, ages will range from 14 to 18 and there will be over 3,500 competitors. The Youth Olympic Games will be held between 14th and 26th August.

A TWO-MINUTE pyrotechnic display will begin on Saturday, April 24, at 8pm to celebrate the milestone development at Marina Bay, the opening of the Youth Olympic Park and the landmark bridges which connect the Marina Centre to the Bayfront area.

The pyrotechnic display will be accompanied with special lighting effects, specially choreographed to showcase the night lighting feature of the curved double helix pedestrian bridge – a world’s first – which is parallel to Benjamin Sheares Bridge and connects the Marina promenade to the new Bayfront Area.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has also put together a line-up of performances created by Mr Aaron Khek – chief choreographer for the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

The theme of the programme, “Celebration of Life”, will be used to signify the aspirations and growth URA has for Marina Bay.

The seating gallery of The Float@Marina Bay will be specially opened for members of the public to join in the opening night celebrations at Marina Bay.

Admission is free and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The seating gallery will be opened from 6.30pm onwards and visitors would be among the first to step onto the double helix pedestrian bridge.

Together with the Youth Olympic Park, the landmark bridges would be officially opened by guest-of-honour Minister for National Development Mr Mah Bow Tan.

A series of street performances, which include a variety of dance and musical performances, have also been planned from 5.30pm to 9pm on Sunday, 25 April 2010.

We are sure that this opening of this Youth Olympic Park will be a huge success and will inspire young people from around the world to put down the donuts and start training. Who knows youngsters, in 4 years time it could be you up there getting that gold.

Some beautiful and trippy pics of fireworks taken by ace photographer Derek Jones.

These incredible pictures were taken by Derek then played around with and edited to produce these fantastic images.

Good work Derek, very colourful and great to look at. We  look forward to seeing more.

stunning colours here, the white specs flying out from the centre look fantastic.

The green background gives this an eerie feel and a very different look to anything we have seen before.

More stunning colours here. Derek has made the scene look so different to what we expect to see from fireworks, indeed it is hard to see where the fireworks end and the trees begin. Beautiful.

Fantastic shot here, has been compared to something from under the sea.

Black and white always looks cool with fireworks. Its almost the opposite of what we expect, bright and colourful, but without the absense of life and movement that we often associate with the monochrome. The slight silouette of the trees gives us the scale and lets us realise the size of the fireworks and lets us feel the size. The faint outline of the trees show up white on this one leaving strange patches on the bottom of the picture. Black and White images often leave a cold feeling and the eye (being lazy) is always drawn to the white areas first.

Magnificent colours here. very vivid reds and the blue at the centre of the burst is brilliant, so is the turqoise around the central burst. On first glances it looks nothing like a firework. More like some exotic plant or flower.

Again the trees here look great and really let you appreciate how big the fireworks really are.

Love the burst of colour here, full of life and energy, you can really sense the enormity of the explosion.

We hope you liked our selection of photos from photographer Derek Jones. We have a few more “normal” ones which we will post on shortly.

Some say its aliens, some say its an advanced military program testing the effect of social media on communications. Some say its a powerful foreign agency testing their new EMP weapon. Some say its a bit of rock falling out of space. That last one is going to be the most likely.

Whatever it is, it looks very cool and in all honesty is bigger than any firework we have. Make up your own mind as to what it may be and if you are out walking in Wisconsin this weekend, wear a safety helmet!!

Many thanks to Chris for sending us these excellent photographs and video of his fireworks display for his 21st birthday last Halloween (great day for a birthday by the way).

The photographs came out great and from the sound of the crowd it was a brilliant display for everyone there down in Yeovil, Somerset.

Chris apologises for the slightly shaky camera work. We assume the camera-person was either nervous or slightly inebriated or possibly both. However these shots on his friends digital SLR camera came out beautifully. Fireworks Photography is not easy, but these images are great!

Here is the back of Chris’ car from last October when he collected his meaty fireworks stash from us here at Epic Fireworks.

and here is the all important firing order

Yes although many fireworks companies claim to have the biggest “volcanoes” or firework fountains. Nobody can beat the unpronouncable glacier of Eyjafjallajoekull in Iceland with its mountainous plumes of smoke and unending spewage.

Of course we all prefer smokeless fountains but you have to take duration into consideration. Also any volcano large enough to bring planes to a standstill would probably not pass BS safety tests and woudl certainly not be considered CAT 3.

Everybody say wow now. This is the big finale to the fireworks for the opening of the Kentucky Derby Festival, Thunder over Louisville, and what a finale it was. No one does big quite like the Americans. This is big!

Typhoon Twister stats:

No. of Shots ——16

Effect ————– comets, flying tails

Colour ————- silver, blue

Duration ———– 35 seconds

Calibre ————-18mm

The Typhoon Twister barrage from Black Cat Fireworks is an old school firework from back in the day. These were popular as far back as 1993 when they were first introduced to the UK and they are sadly soon to be no more. These are old stock from Black Cat Fireworks and are now classified as 1.3G fireworks. Fortunately for us at Epic Fireworks we can still sell 1.3G and will continue to do so, even if Black Cat will not.

Typhoon Twister Review:

Spiralling spinning tails burst into a quiet and pretty whistling spinner with tiny blue stars. This is certainly no storm in a tea cup and at this exceptional price – just £3.45 per unit – this is a fantastic barrage to pad out your display and at a very cheap and effective section to your bonfire night show.

We like to light these 2 at a time for a very cost effective performance that will still impress.

Giant golden willow kamuro can be seen from all corners of the city. This is a beautiful and massive aerial shell burst. The effect is also sometimes called angel hair.

Colourful and busy with beautiful patterns and a multitude of happenings all at once.

This is a stunning display, a wall of blue light reflected onto the water. Looks beautiful and would have been really impressive to witness in person. Blue fireworks are always really amazing to see. Check out our Cobolt Blue barrage to make your own blue effect.

When it comes to fireworks, bigger is almost always better this is HUGE and looks beautiful.

You will notice that all 4 of these WOW inspiring photos include water. When lighting fireworks over water many things happen, you get an idea of the scale of the effect. The noise travels across the surface of the water better and the reflection often adds to the overall impact. Also there is much less mess to clean up.

WHAT: Thunder over Louisville

WHERE: Louisville, Ohio River

WHEN: Saturday 17^th April 2010

WHAT TIME: 9:30pm – 10:00pm

Thunder over Louisville is an annual event that kick starts the Kentucky derby in spectacular style, with the largest fireworks display in North America.

28 minutes of non stop fireworks filled in with multiple finales and a varying soundtrack to give everyone something to enjoy. Part of the idea behind the show is that every section in it is a finale. The theory is the more finales the better! Who are we to argue!

So how do they create this spectacle for the senses? Well there are a few simple ingredients involved.

• 60 tons of fireworks
• 56,215 shells
• 700 miles of cable
• 250 tons of launching tubes
• 1,800 feet of barges
• 907,200 kilos of sand
• 2 miles of waterfall
• 8 x 400 foot long barges
• 28 minutes of madness
• 500,000 spectators
• 21 years of expectation

All rigged up and set off by the Zambelli Family, America’s first family of fireworks who have been involved in the show for the past 18 of its 21 year history.

This years song list has 51 tunes designed to have a little something for everyone including “Night Fever” by the Bee Gees, the classic “Blame it on the Boogie” and the contemporary “Just Dance” by Lady Gaga. One song that is included every year is the inspirational “When you wish upon a star” which lends itself well to fireworks displays for obvious reasons.

The Thunder over Louisville is the start to the Kentucky Derby Festival which sees 2 weeks of celebrations in Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Indiana and also features some incredible aerobatics from over 100 planes with daring sky diving teams and breathtaking stunts, the aerial antics start at 3pm. However the highlight, of course, is the fireworks!

The 9th Edition of the Malta International Fireworks Festival will be organised by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Tourism and the Malta Tourism Authority. Grand Harbour will once again provide the perfect setting for this event, which will take place on the 29th and 30th of April 2010. The festival shall also form part of the 6th Anniversary Celebrations of Malta’s accession into the European Union. (2004).

Participating in the festival will be numerous Maltese and two Italian Fireworks Companies. Orzella Fireworks Company of Rome will open the first evening on April 29. There will be numerous fireworks displays synchronized to music. This will be coupled with a variety of competitive displays by numerous Maltese fireworks factories. A fireworks display synchronized to music will close the event on each evening. One of these will be designed by the Santa Maria Fireworks Factory of Mqabba and the other will be designed by the Mount Carmel Fireworks Factory of Zurriq. On April 30, the world renowned Parente Fireworks Company of Italy will be closing the festival with its own grand pyro-musical display.

The best view points to enjoy the fireworks displays will be from Barriera Wharf on the Valletta sea front or else from on top of the bastions of the capital city Grand Harbour.

Tradition of Fireworks in Malta

Fireworks in Malta have a long tradition which goes back to the time of the Order of the Knights of St John. The feu de joie, the musketterija, the solfarelli d’aria, St Catherine’s wheels (irdieden) and other forms of fireworks originated from explosives that were lit off from mortars as an expression of rejoicement on special occasions, such as the election of a Grand Master or a Pope as well as on the birth of a prince. This centuries-old tradition is still very much alive in the crowded calendar of village festas that take place all over Malta and Gozo.

Night Vision or Cola?? Ill take the Night Vision every time!

Night Vision Stats:

No. of Shots ——105

Effect ————– coloured pearls

Colour ————- red, green, blue, white, purple, orange, pink

Duration ———- 20 seconds

Calibre ————12mm

The fantastic Night Vision from Brothers Pyrotechnics is a very popular small fan barrage. Watch the video below and it’s easy to see why! Remember there is more than one going off in the video. Can you figure out how many there is?

At less than £9 each, this is fantastic value and great when you want to add rapid firing spectacle to your display. With a multitude of colours that quickly change, its hard work to keep up with this fast paced firework, so fast it launches about 5 shots per second. We always recommend lighting 2 or more of these barrages at the same time to ensure you get that wow factor!

Nightvision in action, can you guess what the other fireworks going off with it is?