Fabulous Fourth fireworks

Become a fireworks aficionado

By Dan Cabot - June 29, 2006

Many hobbyists (birdwatchers, wine experts, racing buffs, sports fans) find their activity more interesting because they have an insider's knowledge of its fine details and specialized language.

The shells that you see in a fireworks display all have names. You see many of them identified for you on these pages. Many of the shells are named for the flowers they resemble: Dahlias, Chrysanthemums, Peonies, or trees such as the Willow and the Palm Tree. Flower- and tree-named shells come in various colors. You can say knowledgably, "Oooh. That's a purple Chrysanthemum!"

Everyone knows the shell that has only one bright flash and a boom loud enough to feel in your diaphragm. Tell your neighbor it's called a Titanium Salute. There is also a sneaky shell called a Dark Salute or a Maroon, which has no visible flash, just a very loud boom.

Designer Joyce Morrison let The Times in on some inside information about the Edgartown show: "I will also have a Pink Peony flight (five shells tied together to explode in sequence) in honor of a friend's daughter's birthday. I always include a flight of purple Chrys [Chrysanthemum] for myself and a yellow and blue sequence of Chry for David [Kelsen, C.R. Pyro president]."

Other shells to watch for in the Edgartown show are Red Hearts inside a Green Ring. Also, look for some Smiley-Faced shells early in the program and 200 red, white, and blue shells near the end of the finale to salute the Fourth of July.

How much do fireworks cost?

The Edgartown Board of Trade (EBT) is organizing the Fourth of July fireworks for the first time this year, taking over from the Edgartown firemen, who ran the show in earlier years. The half-hour display will cost $35,000, plus expenses such as police details, passage on the ferries, and two nights lodging for the fireworks crew.

According to Christine Cook, secretary of the EBT and chairperson of the fireworks committee, the board has worked closely with C.R. Pyro to make this the most spectacular display in Edgartown's history, increasing the ante from $25,000 the show cost last year.

Fireworks, which mostly come from manufacturers in China and India, can cost from as little as $5 per shell up to several thousand for a custom-made shell. Fireworks sizes for the Edgartown show range from tiny two-and-a-half-inch shells that weigh less than a pound, to big 12-inch shells that weigh about 32 pounds each.

According to David Kelsen, president of C.R. Pyro, most designs can be bought in several price ranges. Cheaper shells are used in barrages, where many are going off at once and flaws are less evident. The fancier, more expensive shells are showcased individually. Designer Joyce Morrison told The Times that the most expensive shells in the Edgartown show cost about $500 each.

A fireworks show is like a symphony

C.R. Pyro's head designer and co-owner, Joyce Morrison, outlined her display for Times readers. Her show is divided into distinct parts, like the movements of a symphony. "We shoot in the traditional Italian style of fireworks, with an opening barrage of many shells followed by a segment known as the Pregebia - this is where we showcase several shells of all sizes that are particularly pretty or interesting. The Pulling shells are next. In this segment you will see a variety of shells in many colors and sizes and sometimes in combinations known as flights. We deliberately keep the pace a bit slower here so people can enjoy each shell. Near the half-way point we like to throw up a Mid Finale or Surprise Finale. There will be a slight pause, and then the pace picks up and the intensity and excitement of the show increases until the custom-designed Finale. At the end of the show our signature, two Palm Tree shells, will end the show."

About C.R. Pyro

C.R. Pyro of Middleton is a family business that has been handling fireworks for six generations. David Kelsen, the current president, has been in the business for 35 years, and his father-in-law, now retired, has been in the business 55 years. Mr. Kelsen's son and nephew are about ready to get their pyrotechnician's licenses. They will be the seventh generation to join the company.

The Times asked Mr. Kelsen about the dangers of handling explosives. Citing the years and years of experience the company has in fireworks displays, Mr. Kelsen laughed and said, "We have a joke in our business: you're not allowed to make a mistake."

C.R. Pyro will also stage the Oak Bluffs Fireman's Association display in August.

How, exactly, do they do it?

C.R. Pyro, the company that will put on the Edgartown display, uses a device called an electric match (e-match) to set off each shell. According to the web site of its manufacturer, Pyromate, an e-match consists of two lead wires connected by a fine bridgewire which is coated with a pyrotechnic composition similar to a match head (the old, non-safety kind). When a given current (usually 1 amp, or greater) is applied across the leads, the bridgewire heats up and the e-match head is ignited, thereby igniting the device. C.R. Pyro uses a 12- or 24-volt power source, something like a car battery, to activate the e-matches.

Once the shells are in place, the pyrotechnician can sit at a distance and set off the show by remote control, greatly increasing safety for himself and the audience. However, an e-match is more dangerous to set up. Pyromate warns, "While electric firing has greatly enhanced the type and complexity of displays that pyrotechnicians can perform, it has also added new risks and complexities. . . ." The web site warns that after the e-match is installed in the shell, it can accidentally be set off by friction (for example if it should rub against something inside the shell), impact (for example if the shell should be dropped), and electrical interference (including static electricity, nearby current sources, and lightning).

Some fireworks companies use a computer to fire all the shells according to a pre-programmed sequence. However, David Kelsen, president of C.R. Pyro, told The Times that his company prefers to fire the shells and flights manually, allowing the operator to adjust the show to variations in shell manufacture and different weather conditions or crowd reactions. "It might be good," he told us, "to let an especially nice firework hang in the air a few extra seconds before covering it up with the next shell in the script."