DIY Fireworks Show or Hire a Pyrotechnician?
When Can You Organize a Fireworks Show?
As professional pyrotechnicians, we often hear from our clients: "We'd love to have a fireworks show, but we've heard it's illegal."
We dedicated a separate blog post to this myth – you can find it [here].
After reading it, you’ll know it’s completely untrue — there is no general ban on fireworks displays. This means anyone can organize a show in their own backyard almost any time of the year.
Of course, there are a few restrictions you should keep in mind when planning a fireworks display. The most emotionally charged one is usually the time of detonation. When planning fireworks, make sure they won’t disturb anyone’s nighttime rest. While the law doesn’t specify exact hours, it is commonly understood that fireworks should not be launched between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. Yes, there are some exceptions — for example, big city shows sometimes happen after 10:00 PM, but they always require written permission from the Mayor, Voivode, or City President.
Choosing the Location for Your Display
The biggest factor in deciding whether to do a fireworks display yourself or hire a professional is the location. As we mentioned above — anyone can buy and shoot fireworks year-round, but it must take place on private property.
So what does that mean in practice?
Simple: You don’t have to own the land — but you do need the owner’s permission. That permission doesn’t need to be in writing, but it’s a good idea to cover your bases and get it documented.
The same applies if you’re planning to launch fireworks at a wedding venue. You must check with the venue manager or owner. Wedding halls and event venues often don’t allow self-managed shows due to safety concerns. In those cases, you’ll need to hire a professional crew.
Sometimes, venue owners simply refuse any fireworks on their property, either out of fear or due to the false belief that fireworks are illegal. If that’s your case – don’t stress!
Sure, you’ll have to forget about a DIY show, but a professional pyrotechnic team can absolutely handle the situation for you.
You'll also need to hire professionals if the show is to be held on public land owned by the city. Such shows require special permits, which aren't always granted. That's why it's crucial to work with an experienced team who not only has the know-how but also the proper licenses.
How to choose the right company and how to spot fake professionals? That’ll be the topic of our next blog post — stay tuned [link here].
Size Does Matter
You’ve probably wondered: what’s the real difference between a professional fireworks show and an amateur one?
In short — it’s the type of effects used.
DIY shows (often sold as SFK – Self-Firing Kits) typically use tube launchers. The products included in these kits meet all safety standards and can be used without special permits. However, their size is limited — maximum 50 mm in diameter. This size directly affects the height and visual scale of the aerial effects.
The rule is simple: the larger the diameter, the bigger and higher the fireworks go.
Diameter also influences the diversity of effects — launchers up to 30 mm often offer colorful flashes rather than precise pyrotechnic patterns. That said, a well-designed SFK show can still be quite charming and diverse.
This size rule also applies to professional shows — but the types of effects used are very different.
In professional shows, we use pyro bombs (shells). One shell equals one burst in the sky. Our shells range from 50 mm to 200 mm, meaning the display can be dramatically more impressive.
We also use a wide range of other professional effects, like golden falling curtain effects. Most of these products require special training, licenses, and government authorization to use.
Thanks to these tools, we can create shows that are precisely timed to music — second by second.
This level of precision is impossible with self-firing kits.
How Much Do Fireworks Cost?
You’d think this question should’ve come first — but we saved it for last on purpose 😉
"How much does a fireworks show cost?" is by far the most frequently asked question we get — and we almost never give an immediate answer.
Why? Because the price depends entirely on what we’re designing.
DIY kits (SFK) start as low as 500 PLN for a ready-made show. While there's no real upper limit, they usually top out around 3000 PLN.
For professional shows, it’s more complicated. Depending on the type of display, the effects used, and their quantity, the price per minute can range from 1000 PLN to 5000 PLN.
Everything depends on the client's vision, the complexity of the project, and the size of the shells used.
A show made with only 75–100 mm effects will cost less than one that includes 125–200 mm fireworks.
Who’s Going to Push the Button?
Still unsure whether to go DIY or hire professionals? Ask yourself just one question:
Who’s going to launch the show?
For example, if it’s your wedding, you won’t be the one pressing the button. So who will? Will one of your guests be willing? Will they stay sober long enough and be willing to clean up afterward?
When you hire a professional team, you don’t have to worry about anything.
Once we’ve finalized the design and booking, we’ll see you again on the big day — at the moment of ignition.
We’ll handle everything — logistics, permissions, technical setup. You don’t lift a finger.
And after the show?
We clean up everything, leaving the site as clean as we found it — with the only traces being your wonderful memories and a sky full of unforgettable photos 💫
