Planning, Permits & Pyro

Years ago I was asked to plan an evening event that was something different. I did a bit of research and discovered that, at that time, hiring a pyrotechnic company to bring a fireworks show on property was not outside the realm of possibilities. I know there are fireworks shows all over town on the Fourth of July, every night at Disney, and throughout the summer after minor league baseball games, however, for this particular organization, this would be a first.

When I started delving into the planning process for the event, as anticipated, I discovered there are many factors to consider. Space was one of them. I actually couldn’t believe the amount of space needed for a safe fireworks show. One company does a fantastic job of explaining the space demands based on the type of show you want to have. ¹ On their website is a graph of how many feet away the audience needs to be for the height or “break” of the fireworks chosen. Super helpful. There needs to be space for people to sit, space to setup the fireworks launch area, and space for the things that go up to come down.

Permits are the next priority on everyone’s mind (or at least should be), however, I found that, at least in Illinois, one is not required. Responsibly, the company I was researching requires a permit with approval from the authority having jurisdiction over the location where the show is to be held. Smart. Now the trick, which governing body is it. City? County? State? Another task on the checklist.

The most efficient way to get things rolling is to partner with a company who will make time to visit your location. This way they can consult with you on the type of show you are hoping to have, see what the property looks like and what constraints they’re working with, discuss your budget, and make recommendations based on the information gathered. I would not want to go back and forth over email, sending aerial maps, measurements, photos, and descriptions to someone, and end up with mismatched expectations.

I would also ask the company for their recommendation of safety precautions we would need to put in place for the audience as the host organization. The pyrotechnic folks should definitely have their own for the equipment, fireworks, and staff, but if they’ve been doing this long enough, they also know what types of safeguards we should have for those attending the event. I would imagine we would rope off areas indicating where people can and can’t be, perhaps have emergency personnel standing by, and ask that people leave their pets at home.

Then, this becomes another outdoor event. First, as always, identify the goals and objectives; what are you trying to accomplish with the event? As mentioned, plenty of space will be needed for people to sit to view the fireworks, whether they choose to bring lawn chairs or blankets; and additional space far enough away where the pyrotechnic company will make the magic happen. Parking needs to be considered whether it is on-site, or off with a shuttle bus plan in place. Someone always has to go to the bathroom so porta potties need to be rented, as well as light trees, safety barriers, and possibly staging, lights, cameras, and production equipment if there is to be any sort of entertainment or music to accompany the fireworks show.

Based on the goals and objectives, food trucks might need to be engaged and picnic tables, trash cans, and water stations rented. Entertainers or performers, inflatables or carnival games, or even an ice cream man might be part of the festivities. And once again, because I live outside Chicago, I always need to plan a second event… the dreaded weather contingency plan. Truly, we always end up planning two events simultaneously. We can’t possibly wait until we see what the weather is going to be and THEN start to plan. Alternative dates, contracts, etc. all need to be in place well in advance of knowing what mother nature is going to throw our way. Then there are volunteers to find who will help with a myriad of responsibilities.

If you’re not part of a community of event professionals yet, find one. Connecting with other planners who have done the types of events you are trying to do, who have experience and learnings to share, is invaluable; especially in the case of the unusual requests such as planning a fireworks event.

We didn’t end up going with the fireworks show after all, but I can’t wait for the next opportunity to do so!

Have you planned a fireworks show? What was one thing you learned that we should know? Share it here or send me an email!

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1.J&M Displays, Inc. 2024. jandmdisplays.com