Pyro Stuff
FIREWORK DISPLAY TYPE, DESIGN AND PREPARATION
Preparations for the bonfire celebrations in any village or town always begin early in the year and the firework display is no exception to this rule. Not only has the display to be designed and the fireworks purchased and assembled but also such matters as suitability of firing site, insurance and storage licences need to be taken care of.
FIREWORK DISPLAY DESIGN
One thing a Bonfire Society will try never to do is repeat the same firework display as the previous year. Members often come up with new ideas, some will be effects they have seen in other displays, others may be novel, impossible or much too expensive.
The budget available is a deciding factor on how big the display can be, along with the number of volunteers available to help and the layout of the firing site. Certain types of firework can only be used a long distance from spectators, and some cannot be used if there is too much wind.
Most of the fireworks used today are made in China and imported by only a few major suppliers in this country. Normally these suppliers will arrange a 'trade day' once a year where they will demonstrate many of their fireworks and particularly new effects. A really successful new firework will often be sold out within a few days of such a trade day so you need to make decisions quickly.
The Chinese are usually very willing to please their customers but communication does not always work well so an importer never really knows what is coming or when it will arrive until the container turns up and all the cases examined. Just because there is a label on the outside of a box is no guarantee of what will be inside.
The names (and spelling) of Chinese fireworks are often interesting; many having associations with flowers, Bees Picking Pollen, Blooming Silvery Chrysanthemums, Variegated Peony, Poisonous Spider, Crackling Palm Tree etc, hence preparation for a firework display can be fun.
There are still some fireworks made in this country; these are usually only the types that Chinese factories do not make very well such as gerbs, lances and larger fountains. Many of the fireworks are researched and designed by English factories then manufactured in China and labeled with the English brand name. This ensures that British Safety regulations can be adhered to whilst taking advantage of the low Chinese labour costs.
The largest exporter of fireworks in Europe is Spain and although expensive, Spanish candles and shells usually have excellent colours and effects, and can be obtained with precision timings for synchronised displays.
TYPE OF FIREWORKS
Most of the fireworks we see today have been available for over a hundred years, some for much longer, Shakespeare referred to some in the 16th Century. What is different today is that many of the colours and effects which used to be very expensive and therefore only seen in occasional royal displays are now much easier to obtain. Different countries and regions specialise in particular types of firework effects . . 
REMEMBER FIREWORKS ARE NOT TOYS TREAT THEM WITH RESPECT
