Most unusual fireworks I have ever seen...

[Arob]

So I was hanging out at this guy's farm near Brandon Manitoba and he tells me that he makes pyrotechnics for rock concerts and event shows in his garage in his spare time and I said ‘come on that’s dangerous and illegal’, and he said ‘no. It isn’t’

He has all the papers and certificates and apparently he was one of the best in the business - but he has since retired.

That night after the sun set he showed me something however that was illegal. And it was awesome - his very best and most creative piece, which he can only safely launch in the winter and or out over water as its certain to start fires when it lands. Listen to this: its a lump of potassium in a perforated wax paper cup on top of a gunpowder rocket ship.

It’s called The Spider - KABOOM the pyrotechnic goes up in the air and the flammable waxy paper burns off exposing the potassium to oxygen which ignites it, and it burns bright. The super bright light shines out through the holes in the cup to make the spider’s legs as it descends down through the smoky air at the end of the pyrotechnics show. Hasn't been seen live in twenty years cause it ALWAYS starts a fire when it hits the ground.

What are the most unusual pyrotechnics that you have ever seen?

 

[alexrom1207]

Some fireworks I saw while I was in Italy. They shot them from the beach and they landed in the water, where they proceeded to look like flowers exploding in the ocean...pretty cool stuff. Sounds kinda like what your friend made, I guess they don't care as much about safety in Italy as in Canada or the US. Judging from the driving conditions over there....this is definitely true.
Fun thread...

 

[Lockedin]

One year, just before the fourth of July (U.S. independence day), the City of Santa Barbara announced that there was no budget for a fireworks show. The local radio stations announced that if Santa Barbara wanted fireworks, that the citizens would have to pony up around USD 75,000, for a decent show. The populace responded by raising nearly USD 300,000.

The event is still held between the pier, and the harbor mouth, which allows for some very low altitude explosions. Along with an absurd amount standard fireworks, they employ stars, happy faces, hearts (some embedded within each other), dangling multi-level chinese lanterns that hang from a parachute, and flash bangs that are so close to the crowd that a small shock wave can be observed raising dust on the beach.

The event is now so large that hotel rooms are reserved far in advance (reserved mine in Jan.), travel by car is virtually halted, and the city essentially turns into one gigantic party!:friday