Fireworks Capital of America

Bet you didn't know that New Castle, Pennsylvania, is "The Fireworks Capital of America."  

It is.  And -- watch out -- the title is trademarked!

Fireworks is a billion dollar business across our country, and two of the five largest companies are headquartered right here in New Castle.  Zambelli Fireworks Internationale and Pyrotecnico were founded over 100 years ago by Italian immigrants with a peculiar and special talent -- making fireworks.  Both are fifth-generation family firms, which together produce almost 5,000 shows annually.  According to a recent article in Businessweek, one quarter of all  firework outdoor displays happen on July 4.  Talk about a short season!  Article here.

But who doesn't love fireworks?  We in western Pennsylvania are skilled in the "oooohs" and "aaaauuugghhhs" and "wwwoooooowwws" sounds to make while watching the bursts of colored lights in the sky.  

I remember as a kid our family driving out to nearby Brentwood and sitting on a hillside next to the football stadium watching a Fourth of July fireworks show.   PHHHHOOFFFF!  Off went one fireworks shell...........(one looong minute wait)...........PHHHOOFFFFTTTTTT!  Off went a different colored one............(another loooong minute wait)..............SSSSHHHHHFFTTT!   Off went another.  Another minute wait.  Only at the end did the sky erupt in an almost continual shooting of fireworks.  Then the crowd showed its appreciation with loud applause and wide grins.

Well, you get the message.  Fireworks have come a long way since then.  Last weekend was the annual New Castle Fireworks Festival.  One of our parishes, Mary Mother of Hope, holds its festival the same weekend, piggy-backing on the civic festival and the many thousands of folks who come downtown to enjoy food and games and the 10 p.m. fireworks display.   (Our food is hand made, less expensive, and better than anything you'll find up the street!)  Over the next six weeks, there are no less than 16 festivals and fireworks displays in Lawrence County alone.

Here are some great photos of fireworks.  For more photographs and vivid video, go to the Zambelli website or Pyrotecnico website.

From the New Castle News, our Fireworks Festival.

From Zambelli:

And at the Point in Downtown Pittsburgh:

From Pyrotecnico: