Fireworks display – do it yourself or hire a pyrotechnician

When you can organize a fireworks display As professional pyrotechnicians, when talking to our clients, we often hear that they’d like to organize a fireworks display, but supposedly it’s forbidden. We dedicated a separate post on our blog to this myth, which you can find -> here. After reading it, you already know that this is completely untrue and there is no such ban. This means anyone can put on a display in their own backyard practically all year round. Of course, there are a few limitations that come up when organizing a pyrotechnic display. The main one, which always stirs the most emotions, is the firing time. When planning fireworks, remember to schedule them among your attractions so that their launch doesn’t disturb nighttime quiet hours. The law doesn’t specify from which exact hour shooting is prohibited, but by statute it’s generally considered to be between 10 pm and 6 am. It does sometimes happen that large city displays are launched after 10 pm for various reasons. However, keep in mind that each such launch requires written consent from the City President/Voivode/Mayor. Choosing the venue The main factor influencing whether to organize a fireworks display yourself or hire professional pyrotechnicians is the venue. As mentioned above, anyone can buy and set off fireworks year-round, but it must take place on private property. What does that mean in practice? The answer is simple. You don’t have to be the owner of the yard from which you want to fire the display or use fireworks, but you must have the owner’s permission. The owner doesn’t have to give you this permission in writing, but it’s always better to be safe and make sure you get it. The same applies if you want to organize a DIY fireworks display at a wedding. In that case, you must first ask the venue’s manager or owner for permission. Wedding houses and halls often don’t agree to self-performed displays for safety reasons. In such a case, you’ll need to hire professional pyrotechnicians. It also happens that owners don’t agree to a display on their property at all. This may be due to fear or the mistaken assumption that fireworks are illegal. If that’s what happened in your case—don’t worry at all! Let’s be honest—you’ll have to forget about setting off the display yourself, but professional pyrotechnicians can absolutely handle such a situation. You’ll also be obliged to hire a pyrotechnics team if the display is to be held on public land belonging to the city. Such displays require special permits that can’t always be issued—hence it’s crucial to hire experienced pyrotechnicians with the proper licenses. How to choose a company for your display and how to distinguish a professional firm from pseudo-pyrotechnicians posing as pros—we’ll cover in the next post and add a link (here). Size matters You’ve probably wondered what really differentiates a professional display from an amateur one. The simplest answer is the type of shells that are fired. Self-firing kits (SFK) are usually composed of so-called rack cakes/battery barrages. The products used always meet all safety standards and can be used safely without any certifications. Their size is limited to shells with a maximum diameter of 50 mm. The diameter determines the size and quality of the effects that open in the sky. As you might guess, the larger the tube diameter in the cake, the higher and bigger the effect will be. The diameter also affects the type and variety of effects. In cakes up to 30 mm, you can usually expect colorful bursts rather than distinct pyrotechnic patterns. That said, with skillfully designed self-firing displays, you can create truly beautiful, varied shows. The size principle also applies to displays organized by pyrotechnicians, though we use different types of shells. To create a show, we primarily use so-called aerial shells (spherical or cylindrical). One shell corresponds to one effect in the sky. Our shell sizes range from 50 mm up to 200 mm. It’s easy to imagine how their size significantly impacts the spectacle. In professional displays, we also use a whole range of other effects, such as glittering gold walls. Most of the products we use require specialized training, licenses, and concessions to operate. The shells we use allow for shows that can be synchronized to music down to the second—a result that unfortunately can’t be achieved with SFK displays. How much do fireworks cost You might think this question should be at the top of our list. We’ve deliberately left it almost for last. The answer to “how much does a fireworks display cost” is by far the question we get asked most. And we can never answer it right away. The price always depends on what we’re designing. SFK self-firing displays can start from as little as 500 PLN for ready-made shows. Although there’s no upper limit to what we can prepare, their price usually tops out around 3000 PLN. For professional displays, things get a bit more complicated. Depending on the type of show we design, which shells we use, and how many— the price per minute can range from 1000 PLN to even 5000 PLN. It all depends on the client’s expectations, the show’s complexity, and the number and size of shells used. A show using only 75–100 mm shells will be priced very differently from one that also includes 125–200 mm shells. Who’s in charge here If you still don’t know whether to choose a self-firing display or go with a pyrotechnics team, ask yourself one question: Who will fire my show? Remember that, for example, at your own wedding, you won’t be able to set off the display yourself. So consider whether any guest would be willing to do it. You also need to ensure the person responsible for the launch stays sober until the show and cleans up afterward. With a display booked with full service, you really don’t worry about anything. After the ordering and design process, we’ll only see you again on your wedding day at showtime. We handle all the technical aspects of the display and take care of all permits. You don’t have to worry about a thing. After the show, we’ll also clean the entire area so that not the slightest trace remains—aside from the wonderful memories and beautiful photos that will stay with you for a very, very long time.