I spent the long weekend for the 4th of July 
with my husband's family on the Oregon coast. The town puts on an amazing fireworks show for the 30,000 or so spectators that flock to the beach for the holiday — it's a really professional show set to patriotic music. Good stuff.
However, there were a couple of things about holiday revelry that kind of turned me off. First, it was almost impossible to tell when the official show began due to all of the illegal fireworks being set off on the beach as sundown approached. I could not believe how many REALLY big fireworks, mortars, smoke bombs, rockets, roman candles, noisemakers, etc., people were lighting — even as the city's official show was going on! It was unbelievably distracting and very dangerous — I watched no fewer than a dozen fireworks explode on the ground. While I don't know if there were any injuries, I did hear the wail of ambulances going all night long!
Furthermore, I talked to some of the officials putting on the city's fireworks show, and they guessed that there were hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of illegal fireworks going up in smoke that night. I just can't believe that people will spend that much money just to hear something go boom. To me, it just seems like burning money.
Adding insult to injury was the mess that people left behind on the beach once they left. We spent the better part of four hours on Saturday cleaning up thousands of cardboard launch pads, bottle rocket sticks, Saturn rocket cartridges, etc. The beach was littered with trash, and the carelessness of all the people who left it really shocked me!
Now I admit that I have never been a big fan of personal fireworks, since I didn't light them as a kid (fireworks were expressly prohibited on Air Force bases — you just didn't go there.) So maybe there's something about them that I'm missing…
What do you think of fireworks for personal use? Are they worth it?
Where on the coast were you at? I've been to Rockaway before on the fourth. People with various beverages in their bodies and kids running around unsupervised with the personal fireworks going off all over the place. I was amazed no one caught on fire.
We recently moved to a neighborhood where having the best illegal fireworks is apparently a badge of honor, so we were able to just kick back in our yard and watch everyone else's. After our interpretive dance involving the sparklers that someone brought to our party.
kathy----the sponsor of the big show should tell the people that they will no longer sponsor the show if all the dumb-dumbs are going to shoot individual fireworks around a crowd of 30,000.
i cannot believe that people would shoot individual fireworks around a crowd of that size. its a wonder that several were not hurt or worse.
kathy, i think you missed out as a kid not getting to light your very own fireworks so you don't know the thrill of lighting and seeking cover in a hurry.
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I think fireworks should be left to the professionals. In Texas, it is totally en vogue to drive out to the country and have your own fireworks fiesta. When I was 18, some friends and I went out to said celebration and started to shoot off some fireworks. One of the guys setting up the big ones, didn't do a very good job of making sure the firework was mounted properly. The first shot went up, but the second shot knocked the whole thing over and shots went flying in our direction. The fireworks went flying and everyone ran to try to get to safety. After the last shot went off, I felt something very hot on my back. Somehow, one of the pieces went through my shirt and exploded. I ended up with second and third degree burns over half my back and singed my hair. It was hands down the most painful injury I've ever had. Needless to say, my summer was no fun and that was my first and last trip to do personal fireworks. Now, I find myself calling the cops on my neighbors- even if they're doing the "small" works. I can't even tell you how mad it makes me to see people doing Roman Candle wars. There is waaaay too much room for injury, fires, and property damage. Not to mention that you can find a professional show in almost every single city in this country- that would be much bigger and better than anything you could try to put on yourself.
@ Matt - Sounds like this must be pretty common all along the Oregon coastline for the 4th of July... I'm all for having a good time, but this is just flat out dangerous! (I do love sparklers though! :-)
@ tallpaul - It would be such a shame for the city to have to cancel the show because people cannot follow the law (and common sense)! But, unfortunately it could come to that! Hmmmmm, somehow your description of lighting fireworks doesn't make me feel like I missed out!
@ Emily - Wow, thanks for sharing your experience! While I am very sorry that you got hurt, I hope your story can help others see that the danger of injury from personal fireworks use is very real indeed!