Independence Day in O-Town: Top 10 Fireworks & Displays

By Jerry Steffen
Friday, Jan. 22, 2010

You can't celebrate Independence Day without a little red, white and ka-boom, right?

Free Fireworks Displays in Central Florida

All firework shows commence shortly after sunset.

• Red Hot & Boom! - Uptown Altamonte Springs (July 3rd)
• A Flashback 4th of July - Celebration Town Center (July 4th)
• July 4th Celebration - Avalon Park in Orlando (July 4th)
• July 4th Celebration - Lakefront Park in Kissimmee (July 4th)
• 4th of July Celebration at the Lakefront - Lakeshore Blvd. at the St. Cloud Lakefront (July 4th)
• Fireworks at the Fountain - Lake Eola, downtown Orlando (July 4th)
• Old Fashioned Fourth of July Parade & Celebration - Donnelly Park in Mount Dora (July 4th)
• Sanford's 4th of July Celebration - Fort Mellon Park in Historic Downtown Sanford (July 4th)

Buy the Best Fireworks in Central Florida

Traditionally there will be several spectacular officially-sanctioned fireworks displays scheduled in Central Florida for the upcoming 4th of July, but you know that a few of your neighbors will be trying to get in on the act by putting together their own personal amateur light show as well. And surprisingly, some of them will probably be just as impressive as the pros.

Although firework tent-stores always seem to spring up all over the state leading into to the Fourth, it's important to keep in mind that most fireworks for recreational use are prohibited in Florida. If it detonates, explodes or propels itself through the air, it's totally illegal... that is, unless it's being used in "frightening birds from agricultural works and fish hatcheries."

So if you're planning on giving your neighborhood feathered-friends a dazzling evening of "ooh's and ahh's," we've compiled a list of available multi-shot fireworks that should give you the best "Bang for the Buck!"

Thanks to three of the most popular fireworks distributors in Central Florida, we've compiled a list of what they consider the Top 10 best buys when it comes to paying for premium pyrotechnics. Most items listed are multiple-shot devices and range from a cheap $30 to as high as $190. And for an even bigger bang-for-your-buck be sure to check each of their websites for coupons and holiday specials.

PHANTOM FIREWORKS
www.fireworks.com
1. "WICKEDLY AWESOME": 115-shot panoramic display featuring multi-colored crackling stars, comets and a huge peony break finale. ($189.99)
2. "WIZARD OF AHHHS": Panoramic display of colorful, glittery clusters of willows, flying fish, bouquets, flying stars with lots of noise. ($89.99)
3. "THERMOBARIC WARHEADS": Fills the sky with 16 powerful fire bursts of red, silver, green, purple and gold. ($139.99)
4. "SHOT FLUORESCENT RACK": Fluorescent rack with powerful lifts and colorful explosions featuring a perfectly timed finale barrage. ($189.99)
5. "THE BEAST UNLEASHED": 95-shots of really fast pearl effects with alternating colors with a really loud finale with crackle. ($189.99)
6. "PYRO PULVERIZER": 33-shot multi-colored display with willow breaks, stars, flying fish, comets and a finale featuring big chrysanthemum breaks. ($119.99)
7. "SCREAMIN' MEEMIE": Rapid-fire barrage of multicolor pearls featuring silver missiles with very loud whistles. ($139.99)
8. "NEW YORK HARBOR FOUNTAIN": Long-lasting fountain featuring a beautiful combination of multi-colored sparks and sprays. ($39.99)
9. "WICKED WILLOWS": 16-shot whistling color tails with willow, glitter, red stars and brocade featuring a green glitter willow and purple star finale. ($69.99)
10. "MACHINE GUN SHELL": Powerful aerial repeater with huge gold palm tree breaks that bursts into a barrage of thousands of loud crackling tips. ($34.99)

SKY KING FIREWORKS
www.skykingfireworks.com
1 . "EXTREME 16": Multi-colored explosions with crackling flowers, chrysanthemums, assorted peonies, dragon eggs silver, lots of glitter, thunderous reports and more. ($129.99)
2. "VERTICAL LIMIT": 16 high-flying shots which explode into crackling and colorful peonies, willows and chrysanthemums. ($119.99)
3. "24 KARAT": 115-shot Z-cake with colorful stars, peacock-tail mines and red comets which ends with fantastic display of colorful palms and crackling stars. ($179.99)
4. "SKY KING NATION": Over 1000-shots featuring roman candles, bottle rockets, firecracker strips, repeaters and lots more. ($179.99)
5. "COLOR ME AMERICA": 20 high-flying beautiful shots of white comets that break into red, white and blue breaks. ($24.99)
6. "SKY KING WATERFALL ROCKET": A collection of four rockets, each containing amazing gold and silver waterfall effects. ($25.99)
7. "50 CAL": Over two minutes of multi-colored pearls with interlaced dust featuring multi-crackles and chrysanthemums. ($49.99)
8. "SKY KING CYBER CANDLE": This candle pumps out 140 shots, 8 at a time, with multiple color comet tails and multiple color effects. ($24.99)
9. "SKY KING FIRECRACKER ROLLS": 1000 firecracker rolls for just $15.99, but also available in rolls from 500 to 16,000. ($15.99)
10. "BROTHER MAGIC CRYSTAL": This crystal spins on the ground and then rises to the sky setting off red and green stars with a strong whistle. ($10.99)

GALAXY FIREWORKS
www.galaxyfireworks.com
1. "GALAXY MAGIC": Fills the sky with silver tails with multi-color stars and tails.
2. "GALAXY WINTER BLAST": Z-fire cake with red and green rain followed by a finale of green tail shots with a purple crackling effect.
3. "FANATICON": Huge breaks at great heights and loud break charges.
4. "RADIOACTIVE WEB": Nice multi-color palms with dragon eggs from the centers.
5. "PICTURE PERFECT": Red, white & blue mines in a quick, stepped formation to the final volley.
6. "SUPER KUNG FU": Spectacular light show featuring huge multi-color willow breaks.
7. "GALAXY'S GOLDEN STAR": Multi-color glitter effect with palm, willow, and chrysanthemum breaks.
8. "TEARS FROM HEAVEN": Multi-color stars falling from huge willow breaks.
9. "EXTREME MACHINE": Extremely bright willow breaks with silver crackling rain.
10. "DESERT BUSTER": Nine huge shots containing 45 different multi-color breaks.

(Above ten items range from approximately $39.95 to $129.95.)

(Photo Source: Fireworks photo from weddingmapper.com)