Fireworks in the UK … Fireworks in the US
Posted by Mark Neville on October 04, 2013 0 Comments
Some of the fireworks may be the same but the rules and regulations are worlds apart. I was fortunate enough to be in Florida last year, (sadly not 4th July), but I did some firework research anyway!
I started near Cocoa Beach and there were 3 stores along the main highway and a couple of others slightly more inland. They weren’t all open but those that were …. it was like walking into Toys R Us. No ‘dummy for display’ items here, you just grab a trolley and load up as you go, (including loads of mortar shells and erratic flight fireworks), ending up at a supermarket style check-out, (but with lots of forms to fill in). Further in towards Orlando there were still some billboards advertising fireworks but these all seemed to have been 7 day July 4th roadside stores and no longer there. I did find one “Closed due to Litigation”!
Although I’ve not researched fireworks in the US in a big way I do understand that there are significant differences between Counties and States for what is allowed and what isn’t and it’s not uncommon to see roadside stores set up just across State or County lines to allow residents in a ‘no firework sales’ county to buy from next door.
All in all, firework legislation relating to retail in the UK is much easier for us to administer. If you come in and buy a Gladiators Spear, a Star Glitter Fountain or a Jupiter Selection Box you don’t have to fill in any forms, just pay, J (although you will always get a word or too from me about recommended safety distances and using portfires not matches or lighters).
Oh, and did I get to see any fireworks in Florida? Well, lordy, lordy, only on 13 occasions, ha ha, (Magic Kingdom x 7, Epcot x 2, Sea World x 2, Busch Gardens x 2). It would have been 14 but I took too long over my Longhorn Steak one evening!
Magic Kingdom Fireworks
