Fireworks

Fireworks are special devices that make pretty lights and sounds for fun. They are often used in big outdoor shows during holidays and festivals all around the world. These shows light up the night sky with many colors like red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and silver.

Ritual devils and townspeople participate in a Correfoc (firerun) at the culmination of Festa Major 2012, in Vilanova i la Geltrú

Fireworks come in many shapes and sizes. Some sit on the ground, while others are shot high into the air. Many have their own way to move, like skyrockets, and some are launched from special tubes. Most fireworks have paper or pasteboard tubes filled with materials that spark and create shapes when lit.

Although fireworks were first made in China, they are now used everywhere. China is still the biggest maker and seller of fireworks today. While fireworks can make people happy, it's important to be careful when using them to keep everyone safe.

History

Further information: History of gunpowder and Four Great Inventions

An illustration of a fireworks display from the 1628–1643 edition of the Ming Dynasty novel Jin Ping Mei

Fireworks started in China during the Song dynasty between 960 and 1279. People used them for festivals and special events. Early fireworks were simple, like burning bamboo that made loud noises. Later, people added gunpowder to small containers to make louder sounds, called firecrackers.

During the Song dynasty, people made firecrackers from paper tubes filled with gunpowder and a fuse. They also made early rockets that could fly through the air. Over time, fireworks spread to other parts of the world. By the 17th century, they became popular in Europe. Today, fireworks are used in celebrations all over the globe.

Pyrotechnic compounds

Main article: Pyrotechnic composition

Fireworks use special mixtures to create beautiful colors. These mixtures have four main parts: a fuel, something that helps the fuel burn, color-producing salts, and a binder to hold it all together. The colors come from different chemicals. Each chemical burns to make a bright, specific color, just like in a flame test.

Some of the brightest sparks in fireworks are made using aluminium. Sparks from fireworks usually glow red, orange, yellow, gold, white, or silver. Many chemicals in fireworks are safe, but some can be harmful if touched, inhaled, or eaten.

Color	Metal	Example compounds
Red	Strontium (intense red) Lithium (medium red)	SrCO₃ (strontium carbonate) Li₂CO₃ (lithium carbonate) LiCl (lithium chloride)
Orange	Calcium	CaCl₂ (calcium chloride)
Yellow	Sodium	NaNO₃ (sodium nitrate)
Green	Barium	BaCl₂ (barium chloride)
Blue	Copper halides	CuCl₂ (copper(II) chloride), at low temperature
Indigo	Caesium	CsNO₃ (caesium nitrate)
Violet	Potassium Rubidium (violet-red)	KNO₃ (potassium nitrate) RbNO₃ (rubidium nitrate)
Gold	Charcoal, iron, or lampblack
White	Titanium, aluminium, or magnesium powders

Symbol	Name	Fireworks usage
Al	Aluminium	Aluminium metal is used to produce silver and white flames and sparks. It is a common component of sparklers.
Ba	Barium	Barium salts are used to create green colors in fireworks, and it can also help stabilize other volatile elements.
C	Carbon	Carbon is one of the main components of black powder, which is used as a propellent in fireworks. Carbon provides the fuel for a firework. Common forms include carbon black, sugar, or starch.
Cl	Chlorine	Chlorate and perchlorates are common oxidizers.
Cu	Copper	Copper compounds produce blue colors.
Fe	Iron	Iron powder is used to produce sparks in sparklers.
K	Potassium	Potassium nitrate, potassium chlorate, and potassium perchlorate are common oxidizers. The potassium content imparts a faint violet color to the sparks.
Mg	Magnesium	Magnesium metal burns a very bright white, so it is used to add white sparks or improve the overall brilliance of a firework.
Na	Sodium	Sodium imparts a gold or yellow color to fireworks; however, the color is often so bright that it frequently masks other, less intense colors. Sodium lamps operate with the same optical emission.
O	Oxygen	Oxygen is a component of chlorate and perchlorate, common oxidizers.
S	Sulfur	Sulfur is a component of black powder, and as such, it is found in a propellant/fuel.
Sr	Strontium	Strontium salts impart a red color.
Ti	Titanium	Titanium metal can be burned as powder or flakes to produce silver sparks.
Zr	Zirconium	Zirconium, like titanium, burns to produce oxides that emit brightly. It is used in "waterfalls".

Types

See also: Consumer fireworks § Examples

Aerial fireworks

Aerial shell

See also: § Public display visual effects

An aerial fireworks shell is a device that goes up into the sky and then explodes. These shells are used in big shows.

Airbomb

Main article: Airbomb

Cake

Main article: Cake (firework)

A cake is a group of tubes that shoot many effects into the sky. The tubes can be small or large, and a cake can have many shots.

Fountain

Mine

A mine is a firework that sends out lights or effects into the sky. It is shot from a mortar.

Rocket

Main article: Rocket (firework)

Skyrocket

Roman candle

Main article: Roman candle (firework)

A Roman candle is a long tube that shoots out lights at regular times.

Ground fireworks

Bang snap

Main article: Bang snaps

Cannon

Firecracker

Main article: Firecracker

Sparkler

Main article: Sparkler

Spinner

Public display visual effects

Fireworks displays create beautiful patterns in the sky with many different visual effects. One common effect is the peony, a round burst of small colored stars that shine without leaving a tail. Another is the dahlia, similar to a peony but with fewer, larger stars that travel farther from the burst.

Other popular effects include the chrysanthemum, where stars leave a trail of sparks, and the willow, which has long-burning silver or gold stars creating a soft, dome-shaped effect. There are also effects like the crossette, where stars break into smaller pieces forming a crisscross pattern, and the fish, where stars shoot rapidly away from the burst like fish swimming. These effects make fireworks shows colorful and exciting to watch.

Main article: Salute (pyrotechnics)

Audio effects

Fireworks make many fun sounds. One common sound is a bang. It sounds like a cannon firing and is often heard in fireworks. Another sound is a crackle. This is a popping or clicking noise.

There are also special sounds like the hummer. It sounds like a short cheer made by tiny spinning tubes. There is also the whistle. This is a high-pitched, loud screeching sound made when air moves fast from burning fuel.

Safety and environmental impact

Fireworks can be dangerous if not used properly. They can cause burns and injuries. Many places have rules to keep people safe, letting only professionals handle big shows.

Fireworks can also scare animals and make loud noises that bother some people. They can pollute the air, and the smoke can harm people who have trouble breathing. The pollution from fireworks can last for hours after a show. The noise can also be harmful to people with hearing issues or certain health conditions.

Government regulations

Fireworks rules are different in every part of the world. In many places, like most Australian states, only licensed shows are allowed. Some areas, such as Tasmania, ACT, and Northern Territory, let people use fireworks with permits on special dates.

In Canada, special licenses are needed for big fireworks shows. People must take safety courses to run these shows. Other countries have their own rules too—for example, in Finland young people under 18 can’t buy fireworks, and in the Netherlands sales are only allowed a few days before New Year’s.

Fireworks celebrations

In Australia, fireworks displays are popular during public holidays like New Year's Eve and Australia Day. The famous Sydney New Year's Eve Midnight Fireworks draws crowds every year. In the Northern Territory, "Cracker Night" on Territory Day lets people enjoy fireworks freely.

Canada sees fireworks as a key part of Halloween celebrations, especially in Vancouver. In Catalonia, fireworks are central to festivals, with special events like the Correfoc, where crews of devils dance through streets with sparkling devices. France lights up skies on the eve of Bastille Day, with Paris showcasing displays near the Eiffel Tower. Japan holds many fireworks festivals in summer, with the Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival being one of the oldest. These festivals bring families together to enjoy food, games, and fireworks shows.

Uses other than public displays

Main article: Consumer fireworks

People buy small fireworks for their own parties, like birthdays or holidays. These fireworks are usually not as strong as the ones used in big public shows. They include things such as firecrackers, rockets, and smoke balls. Fireworks can also help scare birds away on farms. But sometimes, people have used them in the wrong way during pranks or protests.

Culture

Fireworks competitions are fun events in many places. Some well-known ones are the Montreal Fireworks Festival in Canada, Le Festival d'Art Pyrotechnique in Côte d'Azur, France, and the Philippine International Pyromusical Competition in the Philippines. These festivals gather top fireworks teams to make wonderful shows.

In the United States, people who love fireworks join clubs. In these clubs, both hobbyists and experts learn about safety and plan private shows. The clubs sometimes have contests where members show off their skills, from small fireworks to big displays with music. The Pyrotechnics Guild International, Inc. (PGI) holds big meetings with some of the largest fireworks shows in the country.

Firework sales

Firework sales in the United States have grown a lot, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, people spent money on fireworks for fun. In 2020, sales went up a lot. Most of the money came from people buying fireworks for their own use. Experts think these sales will keep growing.