There are a variety of ways you can celebrate Independence Day. Many families opt to take in a Fourth of July fireworks display at a local park or attend a parade that snakes down Main Street. If you do, more often than not, you will be joined by hundreds (or in some cities, thousands) of other families looking to join in the holiday festivities.
However, if you were raised in a family (like mine) with a father who didn’t enjoy fighting crowds, searching for parking or staking out a prime fireworks vantage point five hours in advance, then you may have spent your Fourth of July holiday at home. Don’t get the wrong idea—my dad felt he could duplicate the same festive downtown atmosphere in our own backyard. He succeeded. He decorated the patio with red, white and blue steamers (okay, my mom did that), grilled up a wonderful meal, and the best part… designed his own home fireworks display.
The process is very simple. It takes about a day of planning (allot for extra time if you live in an area where you need to obtain a fireworks permit) and can be enjoyed by multiple families in your neighborhood.
Here’s how to get started:
Day Before:
Purchase fireworks… making sure that the ones you buy are lawful. For example, in most states, bottle rockets are considered illegal. Separate and organize them into groups according to which ones you want to set off first.
Day of:
Find a flat surface on your lawn to set up the fireworks. If you don’t have a perfectly flat space, consider placing a piece of wood across the grass (be careful to soak the piece in water prior to show time).
Once you have found the ideal spot, comb the area for dry leaves and other flammable items. Remove all items that could accidentally catch fire if a stray spark hits. If your lawn is not green and well watered, consider finding a safe patch of concrete.
Lawn or concrete (whichever you decide), make sure that your hose can reach it. Ideally, you want to have a hose with a shut-off nozzle nearby. Keep the water on so the hose can instantly douse any wayward fires. In addition, keep a bucket filled with water nearby. Use it to soak used fireworks and duds.
Once you have secured a safe spot, place the fireworks about 6 inches apart from each other in the order they will be lit.
Set up a viewing area one side of your staging area. It is not safe to have spectators watching your display from all sides. Doing so is just asking for trouble, as it is impossible to keep an eye on the spectators and concentrate on safely igniting the fireworks.
Only one person should light the display. That person should not be drinking alcohol before or during the show and should be at least 16-years-old. Light one firework at a time. If a firework doesn’t light, or doesn’t work after the fuse burns all the way down, it’s considered a dud. Discard it into your bucket of water.
Make sure each firework is completely extinguished before setting off the next one.
Just for Kids:
My parents allowed us to play with sparklers while my dad got his display ready. If you are planning to let your children play with sparklers this 4th of July, keep these tips in mind:
Sparklers should only be handled by children 12 years and older. Adults should be supervising all children (whether they are spectators or participants).
Make sure to keep children with sparklers approximately 10 feet away from each other.
Keep a bucket of water handy in case of an emergency. Put all used sparklers in the bucket of water.
If you opt to forgo your community’s 4th of July festivities, perhaps you can make use of some of the aforementioned tips and create a memorable event at home.
Look for more tips in my next blog: “Designing a Home Fireworks Display Part 2.”