Fireworks at Ashridge House in Hertfordshire.

How much do fireworks cost for a wedding?

If you are wondering “how much will my wedding fireworks cost”, the answer, like many things, is most likely going to be “it depends”.

The price of a professional wedding fireworks display can vary depending on everything from the number of fireworks used, the intensity of the display, duration and if the display is choreographed to music. How much you pay will be entirely dependent on your own requirements and what you want for your special day. Typically, however, our packages range from £699 to £1999.

Electrify Pyrotechnics offers a range of wedding firework display packages to ensure that we can cater for all budgets and requirements.

Alongside our fantastic range of fixed packages, we can also offer bespoke wedding fireworks and design displays to your exact requirements.

Another popular choice that may change the cost of your wedding fireworks is adding music to the display. A lot of couples opt for music to go with their fireworks as this is an amazing, personal finale to your special day as the fireworks burst in time to the beats and tune. definitely something to consider when factoring in the cost of your wedding fireworks.

To get a better idea of how much you will need to pay for your perfect wedding fireworks, here are our current wedding firework packages.

wedding fireworks display

Phoshor Wedding Fireworks Display – £950

A stunning 8 minute display featuring 3 strobe lights, 3 30ft glitter fountains 1 200 ft aerial shell, 8 multi-shot barrages launching over 380 explosions, 1 250 aft aerial shell, 4 more multi shot barrages with over 400 explosions, Large pre-finale 25 shot barrage and 16 multi size aerial shells painting the sky up to 400ft high with colour and noise for the finale.

Spectra Wedding Fireworks Display – £1150

11 minutes of action packed pure pyrotechnical wonder- featuring

  • 2 x large aerial shells
  • 19 x shot barrage
  • 3 x 30ft fountains
  • 6 x barrages launching over 350 explosions
  • 1 x large 250 ft aerial shell
  • 4 barrages hurling over 200 explosions
  • 1 x large 300 ft aerial shell
  • 2 x large barrages containing over 60 explosions
  • 300 shot ultra-rapid firing barrage
  • 60 shot barrage
  • 20 x large pre-finale aerial shells
  • 19 x finale shells

Radiance Wedding Fireworks Display – £1575

Beautiful 12 minute display that includes:

  • 2 x huge aerial shells
  • 3 x 30ft fountains
  • 8 x barrages
  • 1 x large aerial shell
  • 3 multi shot barrages
  • 2 x large aerial shells
  • 50 x shot barrage
  • 300 x shot ultra-rapid firing barrage
  • 56 x shot barrage
  • 2 x multi shot barrages
  • 20 x large pre-finale aerial shells
  • Followed by 12 huge pre-finale aerial shells
  • A grand finale of 26 x mixed size aerial shells

Lumiere Wedding Fireworks Display – £2100

Our most exclusive wedding firework package  – an unbelievable show for all guests that includes:

  • 5 x huge aerial shells
  • 3 x glitter mines
  • 3 x 30ft glitter fountains
  • 10 x multi shot barrages
  • 5 x large aerial shell
  • 5 x multi shot barrages
  • 10 x large aerial shells
  • 50 x shot barrage firing
  • 300 x shot ultra-rapid firing barrage
  • 10 x large aerial shells
  • 56 x shot barrage
  • 3 multi shot barrages
  • 20 x large pre-finale aerial shells
  • Followed by 12 huge pre-finale aerial shells
  • A grand finale of 26 x mixed size aerial shells

For more information on our wedding packages and all bespoke firework displays, please get in touch with us now and our team will be happy to answer any questions you might have on the price of our wedding fireworks displays.

Fireworks displays by Electrify Pyrotechnics.

Top 10 Bonfire Night Tips

Electrify Pyrotechnics’ Top 10 Bonfire Night Tips

It only seems five minutes ago since it was summer and we were all having barbecues and drinking Prosecco in the garden.  Suddenly it’s Autumn, the nights are closing in and Bonfire Night is almost upon us.  So with only 2 weeks until the first organised displays kick off we thought  as a Professional Firework Display Company we would share our insider Top 10 Bonfire Night Tips for improving your firework season…

10.  Consider not buying fireworks from a Supermarket

If you are going to have your own display then look to buy fireworks from a reputable specialist firework retailer. Supermarket fireworks tend in the main to look very attractive, but it’s what’s inside that counts. In a lot of cases they have less gunpowder content.  They may feel heavy, but it’s often mainly cardboard and wood.  It’s not always the case, however in the main if you can buy your fireworks from a specialist fireworks store that sells them all year round you’re more likely to get more bang for your buck – literally!

9.  Don’t buy fireworks from anyone other than a reputable retailer

Building upon the advice in number 10, each year hundreds of Pounds of professional fireworks are stolen to order from firework stores across the country and sold illegally. Fireworks are specifically categorised, and many of those stolen are not for sale to the public. Whilst buying these types of fireworks may seem exciting and intriguing, professional Category 4 fireworks have longer safety distances and very, very fast fuses meaning lighting them is likely to lead to an instant ignition or the firework firing violently in a random direction.  In addition all fireworks sold to the public in the UK carry a CE mark – check for it and avoid it if it doesn’t carry one.  If you’re offered fireworks down the pub, or through a friend of a friend, think of your guests first and avoid.

8.  Observe the safety distances

Category 2 fireworks (typically the smaller ones) have an 8 metre safety distance, whilst the larger category 3 fireworks have a 25 metre safety distance. If your back garden isn’t large enough for a category 3 firework then don’t buy them. Category 2 fireworks are now equally as impressive and so there’s no need to put your guests at risk.

7.  Rockets track into the wind

If you’re buying rockets then be mindful that on a windy night they will head into the wind and not move in the direction of the wind. This is because the wind blows the rockets’ stick which then points its’ head into the wind. One to consider for safety reasons but also so it doesn’t disappear behind your house meaning that your guests miss the burst.

6.  Secure your fireworks so they don’t fall over.

Multi-shot barrage cakes (often referred to as cakes because they are often shaped like square Christmas cakes – often shaped like boxes or cubes like those shown below) fire anything between 10 and 100 shots, which means once it’s lit it won’t stop. These are great value, because you get a longer firework display and each shot is pretty much like one rocket.  However, if they aren’t secured they can bounce around and fall over, which could lead to them firing in the direction of your audience.  Many instructions tell you to bury them up to a pre-prescribed line.  This is fine, however most professional firework companies will hammer a small wooden stake into the ground and gaffer tape the cake to the stake.  The cake’s not going anywhere then!  Although make sure you don’t tape over the fuse!

 

5.  Don’t let the fuse get wet, in fact don’t let your firework get wet.

If your firework or green visco fuse get wet (in the rain or because the ground is damp) then it’s unlikely to light or fire all the way through.  One way to avoid this happening is to put the firework in a swing bin liner before securing it into place.  Give the bag a shake before you light it to shake away the water then just tear the bag to expose the fuse and light it.  The firework will fire through the bag just fine and it’ll stay dry – although unfortunately if it’s raining you and your guests won’t!!!

4.  If it doesn’t go off, then do not return to it

Sounds obvious, however as a professional firework firing team we’ve seen many fireworks go off seconds, minutes and on occasions hours after they’ve been lit. Just leave it, don’t go anywhere near it, don’t bring it back into the house.  Retrieve it the next day, and return it another day to the store that you bought it from.  They will dispose of it securely.

3.  Think of your pets

Most pets, especially cats and dogs hate fireworks. Never take your dog to a firework display unless you know they are OK around them. It’s best to keep your pets indoors once it gets dark over the couple of weeks that fireworks are being let off. Keeping curtains closed and the TV or Radio on fairly loud often means they don’t hear the fireworks.  If that doesn’t work, and your pet is particularly traumatised then speak to your vet.  There are treatments and clothing that your pets can wear to help them cope, however always seek a professionals advice.

2.  Find a local organised professional display

These are always more inspiring than consumer firework displays – the firers will likely be firing bigger professional category fireworks and so it’ll be more impressive, and safer. Plus less effort and cost!

1.  Our top tip – learn to fire fireworks professionally

If you do enjoy lighting fireworks and putting on an impressive display then why not train with a firework company? As well as the tips above there are a raft of ‘insider secrets’ that mean you can fire fireworks more safely, with less gaps, and with less mess afterwards! Even fire them electrically so you can stand with your guests and fire the whole display with a push of a button, even to music!  Interested?  Give us a call at Electrify Pyrotechnics on 01332 650770 –  it doesn’t matter what part of the country you’re in – we can train you to be a better firer!  And who doesn’t want a discount on better fireworks!?!

Hopefully you found our Top 10 Bonfire Night Tips useful. Whatever you do this Bonfire night, whether it’s going to professional display or a display in your back garden, wrap up warm, follow the firework code, stay safe, think of your pets and have fun!

Electrify Pyrotechnics fire multiple Bonfire Night displays all across the UK.   Let us take the strain of firing a Bonfire Night display – it’s not easy, even for us sometimes…

Pyromusicals - fireworks displays set to music.

How to pick the perfect songs for your pyromusical

What’s better for lovers of fireworks than a firework display?  Answer: a pyromusical firework display!  At Electrify Pyrotechnics we are specialists in creating amazing firework displays that fire in perfect unison to a music track.  There’s some pretty amazing technology available to us in order to get the firing timed to absolute perfection right down to the last thousandth of a second. The length of the display will dictate how many songs you need, and we can edit all of the songs together to make one single track, but how do you pick the right music to accompany your display?

Here are our top 5 tips for getting it right:

1) Pick songs that you like and are personal to you

If the display is for a wedding, an anniversary or party then pick at least one song that means something to whomever the display is for.  For a wedding, that may be ‘your song’, the first track you ever danced to, or something that brings back fond memories to you both.  Whatever the reason, make it personal and that will add another really special, unique dimension to the display.

2) Where possible pick songs that your audience are going to know too

Whilst it’s important that you select songs that mean something to you, you also want to avoid anything too obscure.  Classical music goes really well with fireworks, however everything from pop, rap and heavy metal can work too!  The atmosphere of a pyromusical firework display is enhanced when there is music that people recognise and love too. You can’t please everyone, as people have different tastes in music, however easily recognisable tunes and songs will work wonders when it comes to treating the audience.

3) Watch your profanity

There’s quite a few songs now that contain expletives and swear words. Avoid any songs that might not be appropriate for the younger or older members of your audience.  If you love a song but there’s inappropriate language then you have two choices, firstly look for a Radio Edit which will be a more audience friendly version, or speak to us at Electrify Pyrotechnics as we may be able to do some editing to help you out!

4) Select music that changes in tempo

It’s important to have songs with good beats in order to fire the fireworks up to, however songs that have changes in tempo, speed and beat offer the ability to vary the display further and therefore add an additional dimension to your display.

5) For your finale song, pick a tune with a punchy ending

This one is always a challenge. You want your pyromusical to end with a huge volley of fireworks and a grand finale to conclude the display.  So picking a song that slowly fades away at the end isn’t really going to be appropriate (imagine trying to do a big finale to Hey Jude by The Beatles with the continuous looping 4 minute long coda ending that eventually fades to nothing, great song however not really appropriate for a whopping finale.  Remember “Big Finish”.

So that’s it, our top 5 tips to picking the best music for a pyromusical, and what’s more we provide all the sound systems, we’ll mix your track and let you listen and approve it before we design your show to it.  So what are you waiting for? You pick the music and leave the rest in Electrify Pyrotechnics capable hands.

For more information, don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you might have!

The Top 5 things to consider when having fireworks at your wedding

Your Wedding Day is your special day You’re pampered and the centre of attention for the entire day and there’s much to look forward to.  So from the ceremony and meeting with friends and family, the speeches (hilarious, heart-warming or cringe worthy!), a lovely meal and drinks, the disco/band/entertainment and of course your first dance.  It can be a tiring day however it speeds by, and the months and years of pre-preparation are all worth it as you see all your hard work fall into place.With a firework display at your wedding not only is it a reflection of the air of celebration, a big bang to say “look everyone, we’re married”, a recognition of the importance of the day, but it is also something to look forward to after all the other activities are done.  As your day draws to an end, it’s an extra something else to look forward to.  It’s the perfect finale to your perfect day, and so here’s our guide to the key things to consider when booking your wedding firework display…

Our Top 5 Tips:

  1. Pick the right company – it’s not just about the impressive display – make sure you select a professional firework company that has a track record of safety and good customer service. A good firework company will do a site survey at your venue, offer full liability insurance (often up to £10million) and be able to tell you what processes they have to deliver an impressive display through a multitude of scenarios (strong winds, flooded firing site etc).  Audience safety is paramount and your firework display company should deliver all of the above as part of the display price as standard – no added costs!
  2. Consider a surprise – it’s great when the firework display is a surprise and either the audience or the bride and groom aren’t expecting it. Just when you thought the day couldn’t get any better, there’s something else toward the end of the night to entertain the guests or surprise the special couple.  A good Firework Display company should be able to organise and set up a display conspicuously so the game isn’t given away until the DJ announces that everyone needs to go outside.  We’ve seen Brides moved to tears because there’s another wonderful surprise waiting for her from her thoughtful groom, or from her parents.  Tell your firework company if you want to keep it hush-hush.
  3. Make it different – not everyone has fireworks at their wedding, and so by having them you’re already making your day different. Consider bespoking your display further to make yours even more unique. At Electrify, we offer a free colour matching finale (so the fireworks that make up the huge finish at the end of your display match the colour schemes of the day). We also offer fire-writing of the bride and grooms’ initials aside a beautiful burning love heart, or the ability to start the display yourself with the press of a button or the push of a plunger.  All for a small additional fee.  Alternatively, you can do something amazingly different and add music to your display – a pyromusical with fireworks firing perfectly to the beat of the songs that you’ve chosen and that are special to you.  Electrify also offer a totally unique music and lightshow with your fireworks.
  4. Don’t necessarily go with the cheapest option – many couples go for the cheapest display on offer, after all getting married isn’t cheap. However, for just a couple of hundred Pounds more you can get a whole lot more ‘bang for your buck’. It’s remarkable what you can get extra for that small amount more – the display has more ‘pyro’ content, it’s higher impact often with a much bigger finale. It is definitely worth trying to go for at least the next display up, you’ll really be able to tell the difference and it’ll really knock you and your guests away.
  5. Longer isn’t necessarily better – I appreciate that’s not something you necessarily want to hear on your wedding night, but in the case of firework displays a longer display doesn’t necessarily mean a better one. 8-10 minutes is sufficient for a wedding display, any longer than 12 minutes and the impact is lost and the audience can start to get bored.  To reiterate point 4, it’s better to go for a 10 minute high impact celebration of your special day that will absolutely wow your audience and save the 15 plus minute displays to the Firework Competitions and Bonfire Nights.

Electrify Pyrotechnics are specialists in Wedding Firework Displays. Not only can we help guide you to get the most out of your display, we’ll do all the organising for you, to ensure that your perfect day ends with shivers up your spine and a firework display to remember.  We’ll do the site survey, ensure the venue is aware, provide the insurance and design the display. All you need to do is pick the display you want and tell us your colour scheme.

 

Top 10 Tips for your Wedding Fireworks Display

If you love fireworks (and who doesn’t) then why not finish your wedding day with a fabulous wedding firework display?

Fireworks personify celebration – it announces to the world that you’ve got something to celebrate by painting the sky with bursts of beautiful colour.

Your wedding day is your perfect day – you and your partner are pampered and the centre of attention for the entire day and there’s much to look forward to.  From the ceremony itself, seeing friends and family, the wedding breakfast, the speeches and toasts, the cutting of the cake, the first dance to the drink and embarrassing dancing. If you’re having wedding fireworks you’ve still got something extra special to look forward to at the end of it all.

It’s the perfect finale to your perfect day, so here is our guide to the key things to consider when booking your wedding firework display

firework display at wedding

Speak to the venue

If you’re considering a wedding firework display, once you’ve picked your wedding venue, speak to them about having fireworks. Most venues do allow fireworks however some may specify a firing time or using one of their preferred firework companies.  There may also be restrictions on the type of fireworks that can be used, such as quiet fireworks, or not permitting fireworks that burn all the way to the ground.

Consider your surroundings

We all love fireworks, however the same can’t be said for farm animals or horses. So it’s always useful to think about what’s around your wedding venue.  A good firework company will help you with this, especially where a venue is in a built up area or there are farms or stables in the vicinity.  If there are things like that in the vicinity, it’s not a problem, there are a variety of options you can consider – see number 3 for more details!

Quiet or noisy?

When you think of fireworks do you think of huge explosions and massive bangs?  Of course, your display can be full of wonderful boisterous bursts in the sky. However if you have a venue that doesn’t allow loud fireworks, or you have lots of children in your audience then consider going for a quiet display.  If you haven’t heard of quiet fireworks, or think that quiet fireworks may be a damp squib, then think again! There have been massive advances in new lower noise products. With a limit of 96dB, what quiet fireworks lack in noise, they make up in beauty, colour and effect. Prepare to be absolutely astounded!

Think of the time

The date of your wedding dictates the time that your display can be fired. If your wedding is mid-June, close to the summer solstice, then it’s likely your wedding fireworks will have to be fired about 10:45pm to ensure it’s dark enough (it’s illegal to fire fireworks after 11pm unless it’s Bonfire Night or New Years Eve). If you’re having an autumn or winter wedding, then you’ve got a lot more choice in terms of the time of the evening or night that you can have your display. So you can either go for early evening or look to do something later. So it’s easier to work your display around other events like your evening meal, buffet, first dance and disco.  Speak to your firework company and they can talk you through the options in terms of firing times for your specific venue and wedding date.

Consider a surprise

It’s amazing when the firework display is a surprise and either the audience or the bride and groom aren’t expecting it. Just when you thought the day couldn’t get any better, there’s something else toward the end of the night to entertain the guests or surprise the special couple.  A good Firework Display company should be able to organise and set up a display inconspicuously so the game isn’t given away until the DJ announces that everyone needs to go outside.  We’ve seen Brides moved to tears because there’s another wonderful surprise waiting for her from her thoughtful groom, or from her parents.  Tell your firework company if you want to keep it hush-hush.

Make it unique

Not everyone has fireworks at their wedding, and so by having them you’re already setting your day apart from others. Consider bespoking your display further to make yours even more unique. At Electrify Pyrotechnics we offer a free colour matching finale (so the fireworks that make up the huge finish at the end of your display match your wedding colour scheme). We also offer fire-writing with the bride and grooms’ initials aside a beautiful burning love heart, or the ability to start the display yourself with the press of a button or the push of a plunger.

Music maestro please

Why not do something amazingly different and add music to your display – imagine a  pyromusical firework display with fireworks firing perfectly to the beat of the songs that you’ve chosen yourself and that are special to you. Depending on the length of the display, you should be aiming to pick between 3 and 6 songs that are special to you and your partner.  Your firework company will then mix your music choices into a single track, and design your display to perfectly match your music choices. Let there be light– Electrify Pyrotechnics can go one step further now, and also offer a totally unique music and lightshow with your fireworks.

Don’t necessarily go with the cheapest option

Many couples go for the cheapest display on offer, after all getting married isn’t cheap. However, for just a couple of hundred Pounds more you can get a whole lot more ‘bang for your buck’. As well as the fireworks in your display, all firework display companies have to cover the costs of things like storage, insurance, the cost of the firers. Therefore when you upgrade to the next level, all those things are already paid for, so £200 more on the next display up is pretty much £200 more fireworks!  It’s remarkable what you can get extra for that small amount more – the display has more ‘pyro’ content, it’s higher impact often with a much bigger finale.  It is definitely worth trying to go for at least the next display up, you’ll really be able to tell the difference and it’ll really blow you and your guests away.

Longer isn’t necessarily better

I appreciate that’s not something you necessarily want to hear on your wedding night, but in the case of wedding firework displays a longer display doesn’t necessarily mean a better one. 8-10 minutes is sufficient for a wedding display, any longer than 12 minutes and the impact is lost and the audience can start to get bored.  It’s better to go for a 10 minute high impact celebration of your special day that will absolutely wow your audience and save the 15 plus minute displays to the Firework Competitions and Bonfire Nights.

Pick the right company

It’s not just about the impressive display – make sure you select a professional firework company that has a track record of safety and good customer service. A good firework company will do a site survey at your venue, offer full liability insurance (often up to £10million) and be able to tell you what processes they have to deliver an impressive display through a multitude of scenarios (strong winds, flooded firing site etc).  Audience safety is paramount and your firework display company should deliver all of the above as part of the display price as standard – no added costs!  Not all firework companies are the same, your wedding is your day and you should ensure you are entrusting your firework display to a responsible pyrotechnical organisation.

Wedding Fireworks | Firework Displays

We hope you found those tips useful.  Electrify Pyrotechnics are specialists in Wedding Firework Displays. Not only can we help guide you to get the most out of your display, we’ll do all the organising for you to ensure that your perfect day ends with shivers up your spine and a firework display to remember. We’ll do the site survey, ensure the venue is aware, provide the insurance and design the display. All you need to do is pick the display you want, let us know if you want any extras and tell us your colour scheme. To find out more check out our website at www.electrifypyrotechnics.co.uk or call our friendly and helpful team on 01332 650770.

Top 10 UK Party Hacks

It’s Party Time!

Who doesn’t love a good party!?!  Regardless of whether it’s a wedding, special birthday, house party, engagement, your child’s 4th birthday or your retirement party – it’s a great way to get friends and family together.

Organising a party though can be all kinds of hell.  We’re not all professional project managers and on top of that the costs can escalate quite quickly if you’re not savvy.  So, here are our favourite top 10 party hacks to save you time, money and make your party just that little bit different!

  1. Make a checklist – sounds obvious but the human brain can only handle 9 concurrent things at once, try it! When it’s written down it’s easy to add to it as you go.  That way, once everything’s ticked off you know you’ve got it all covered.  Nothing worse than the day of the party and realising you forgot the DJ (see point 8!)
  2. Create a dedicated party email address (like Harpurs-40th-Party@hotmail.com) to avoid missing responses in amongst the spam and other emails in your usual inbox.
  3. When selecting a venue, consider off season or a different day. Shop around for venues and see what discounts are available.  Local community halls can be just as welcoming as the extremely pricey  17th Century Manor House you were looking at once you’ve got your decorations up.  Also, restaurants, local hotels and pubs have great rooms that are available to rent at reasonable prices.
  4. If you’re buying or renting services (wedding cakes, flowers etc) discuss offering photos of the items in use on the day for their website in return for a cheaper price. This is really useful for the company if they are a start-up and need real-life product photos in-situ for their social media marketing and website.
  5. Bucks Fizz or Mimosa for a welcome drink? Spice up your welcome drinks by pouring your Champagne or Prosecco over different coloured Candy Floss.  It gives it a sweeter taste and vibes up the colour, plus it means you can reduce your costs by not buying the expensive varieties.
  6. If you’re sending out RSVP cards, write a number on the top left corner. When they come back, you can quickly tick them off the list rather than running down a long list of names.
  7. Create a party hashtag. Like #Harpurs40th – that way any photos posted on social media like Instagram and Twitter will all be located in one easy to find place
  8. Avoid expensive DJ costs by hiring professional PA equipment and connecting your iPod. Not only can you be in control of your own music, thus avoiding annoying party classics like Superman and the Birdy Song, but it’s going to save you a ton of money.  www.electrifysound.co.uk  rent speaker kits, microphones and disco lights out for all sizes of parties in the Midlands area.  iPod packages start from just £90 and your guests will be blown away by the sound quality and the amazing lighting set up.
  9. The food was perfect, the music pumping, everyone was in great spirits but how do you finish the night off to make sure it was a night to remember? Two words – surprise fireworks. Fireworks are a great way to celebrate a special event and finish off a great party. However, make it uber-different by organising a surprise firework display that the guests just weren’t expecting. electrifypyrotechnics.co.uk can set up a display discreetly and so just when your guests think the night couldn’t get any better, you complete the night with an awesome celebratory firework display. Take a peek at our party fireworks packages here
  10. Do your research on good hangover remedies for the morning after!!!

Whatever you are celebrating, and whatever your budget, you can have an amazing party if you put your own personal stamp on it. So don’t stress, have a great party, oh and remember tip 10!!!

Tying the Nott Wedding Fair

Are you coming to Tying the Nott this Sunday? Yes? Us too!

Join us at Tying the Nott at Nottingham High School on Sunday 3rd March for a quirky but wonderful experience.

Tying the Nott combines dozens of unique suppliers, including us, to make your wedding day special and personal to you!

Wedding Fireworks

Meet us there to discuss how we can tailor a wonderful show of fireworks to your liking and make it into something never seen before with our bespoke firework displays! From colour coding to your bouquet to writing your initials in fire, Electrify can do it all!

fireworks display at a wedding

It’s not just us at Tying the Nott Wedding Fayre, dozens of companies offering beautiful tailored products are awaiting your arrival…

For more inspiration for your wedding fireworks, take a peek at our wedding displays or contact us with any other enquiries you might have, we’ll be happy to help!

Electrify On Tour – Valencia Las Fallas

This March saw 10 of the Electrify team go on a short break away to Valencia, home to the Las Fallas festival.  Las Fallas (which literally translates into “The Faults”) is a celebration in commemoration of St Joseph and the coming of Spring.

It didn’t feel very spring-like when we flew out of the snow in England, but it warmed up as we landed in Spain.  We drove into Valencia in the early hours of the morning, just as they were firing one of their nightly firework displays – it was a sight to behold for us pyro-geeks, even if the road to our hotel was closed and then we were suddenly swamped by thousands of people walking back.

Firework displays and Mascleta are held daily from the start of the festival on the 1st March until the final day on the 19th March which is known as La Crema – more about Mascleta’s and La Crema later.

Las Fallas – The Faults

As part of the Las Fallas festival each Valencian neighbourhood creates a Falla which is a giant statue made out of wood, paper and polystyrene. These are designed and created by artists and as you can see from our photos are absolutely stunning. They often depict a satirical situation and characters from Sports, the news and politics.  There are around 400 across Valencia and these remain in place until the night of La Crema on the 19th when they are spectacularly set alight and burnt in the streets.  UK Health & Safety would go mad!

Our HSE inspectorate would also go mad if they saw the children of Valencia setting light to fireworks and bangers in the streets.  We saw children as young as 4 years old lighting them, and of course being big kids ourselves we headed straight off to the firework shop to get some too!

Fallas Tree Fallas Lady Luck Fallas Harelquin 2018

Mascleta

The highlight of the trip for all of us was the daily Mascleta.  This is a daylight firework display in the City Square.  Set off from inside a giant cage, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of spectators. Unlike a usual firework display a Mascleta is an aural experience, characterised by hundreds of firecrackers and loud shells fired in a rhythmic fashion to create an almost musical composition.  This builds throughout the display until the final “earthquake” which is hard to experience without wanting to put your fingers in your ears.

The sheer noise and soundwaves pushes your eardrums inwards, the shockwaves pulse through your chest and you can feel your clothing being pushed backward such is the force.  As well as this there’s the strong unmistakable smell of the fireworks and smoke that blocks out the sun – unfortunately there are no words that can describe it, it’s one you have to experience, and the crowds cheer as the display crescendos (you can’t hear them, you can’t hear anything for about 90 minutes afterwards apart from tinnitus) signifies just what the Valencian’s think of this amazing Spanish tradition.  I can tell you, it reduced more than one of our group to tears!

Mascleta cage Mascleta cage

La Crema

On the night of the 19th March and into the early hours of the 20th all of the Fallas models in the neighbourhoods are burnt. Luckily the fire brigade are close at hand as they burn incredibly quickly and fiercely, and many of the buildings close by have to be hosed down in order to stop the fire spreading.  The artist and all those involved from the neighbourhood are present to watch the Fallas burn.  It really is a sight to behold and the atmosphere is electric.

La Crema burning

So much more to see…

There was much, much more of the festival to see such as the Falleros in their traditional costumes and La Offrenda – the offering of flowers to the Lady of our Forsaken in the square.  However, it was all of the fireworks, the Mascleta, the night of fire and the persistent letting off of bangers all through the night that meant we went 4 days with very little sleep that just blew us away.  We were pyrogeeks in pyro-heaven!

Check out our photos and facebook page @ElectrifyFireworksPALights & PA Hire for more details – we’d definitely recommend Las Fallas for anyone who loves a party…and fireworks!!! Or find more information on our services and contact information on our website.

Electrify team Mascleta

Welshpool 8 miles of fireworks roundup

On Saturday 2nd September Electrify Pyrotechnics delivered what was a real first.  A logistical challenge never faced before. 8 miles of fireworks as a steam train powered through the Welsh valleys, and it was delivered exceptionally smoothly and efficiently.

So how did they do it, what were the challenges and what was the outcome?

What a great weekend – 8 miles of fireworks at the Welshpool & Llanfair light railway in mid-Wales.  For those that don’t know it, the WLLR is a narrow gauge steam railway that originally opened in 1903 in order to carry locals and farming produce from the small mid-Wales communities to the market town of Welshpool in order to sell their goods. It was a lifeline for the community however with the advent of the car if eventually closed in 1956, only to be rebuilt and opened again in 1963.  So this year was a special anniversary, as it has now been open longer as a volunteer run heritage railway than a commercial line.

So what better way than to celebrate with fireworks – at the first and last station and all the stops inbetween…for 8 miles!

It sounds amazing and was remarkable – however, the sheer amount of planning and hardwork it took to pull it off was astonishing….

Safety

Something of this nature takes planning, a whole lot of planning.  It’s not all about making the displays look beautiful for the audience because safety is a key issue for the audience and the staff.  A usual firework display requires an initial site risk assessment to consider amongst other things:

  • Access to the site
  • Size of firing site
  • Location of the audience
  • Location of any houses, roads, public rights of way near to the firing site
  • Wind direction
  • Firework debris fallout zone
  • Risk of fire in the vicinity of the fallout zone
  • Backup firing site
  • Photos for the staff that will set up and fire the display

The list goes on and all aspects of the setup, firing and clear up must be considered as well as a re-assessment once the firing team arrive on site.  So imagine doing that for 6 different locations, all previously unknown sites to the company and firing team, sites with public access and moving trains!

Professional firework displays present many dangers to both the audience and the firing team. Electrify considers these when planning their shows, however put firework displays where there are moving trains and that adds a whole new dimension to additional safety elements that had to be considered, trained and reiterated to the firing staff to keep them safe.

Logistics

As well as the safety aspect there were other things to organise:

  • Getting enough firers to travel to mid-Wales to fire all the displays safely
  • Keeping the firers fed and watered
  • Organising overnight accommodation
  • Planning and designing the displays + the pyro-musical light show at the last site
  • Getting all the individual display fireworks fused and labelled up for the correct display sites
  • Ensuring there’s enough electronic firing equipment for each site
  • Ensuring staff know where to go for their display and raising awareness of their individual site, the risk assessment and how to set up
  • Ensuring the station displays are fired at the correct time as the train passes
  • Getting everyone back from their display safely as the train moves along in time for the large display at the end of the line
  • Getting decent photographs and footage of each mini-display

Thought, planning, training, run-throughs and a whole raft of paperwork was pulled together to cover all of these elements.

Teamwork

The key to success for this event was invariably down to 2 things:

  • Planning
  • Teamwork

The planning was perfect down to the last ‘T’ crossed and the last ‘I’ dotted, and all the documentation was out in good time so the team knew exactly where they were meant to be, what they were doing and the team brief at the meeting point before the set up commenced answered all the outstanding questions people were unsure of.  However, it was the great team that delivered this incredibly difficult logistical challenge and ensured it went as smoothly and successfully as it did.

We have to consider that Electrify is made up of a whole selection of individuals who are, whilst professionally trained to an incredibly high standard, part-time firework professionals and have day jobs too. It has to be said that we have an amazing group of firers and the day was delivered due to their commitment to deliver a great show, their passion and of course their hard work.  It was great fun and the camaraderie was wonderful as the team worked together to get an incredibly large amount of work done.

We can’t thank the team enough, what they did was outstanding and we couldn’t do it without them.  Each one of them, despite their tenure and experience, contributed to the event and what ensued would not have happened without their commitment, attention to detail and perseverance.

Electrify firework team

So, what was it that we delivered?

The displays & timing

At 19:35 passengers boarded a special ‘firework steam train’ at the Llanfair and headed for Welshpool station where the train would turn around and head back for the 8 Miles of Fireworks run…

20:35 – the train departed from Welshpool station where a huge volley of shells were fired using the  CH20 firing system.

20:53 – the train arrived at the first station (Sylfaen) – cakes were fired using the new Firestorm system as the train arrived at the station

21:05 – As the engine pulled into Castle Caereinion station modular units were fired, again using one of our Firestorm systems

21:19 – As the train pulled into the Cyfronydd halt, a single shot chase fired up and down the platform as the passengers watched on – a Cobra firing system was used for this chase

21:30 – the engine pulled into the penultimate station, Heniarth, and as it slows cakes and shells explode, fired again by a Firestorm system

The train then headed off for its’ final destination Llanfair where it arrived at 21:45 to be greeted by an extremely large audience and a huge pyromusical lightshow. As with all timetables, this was subject to change and in true railway style the train was around 20 minutes late, however that kept the firing team on their toes.  Their cue to fire was as the train pulled up however they were able to prepare as they saw their colleagues fire their shows in the distance and the sound of the steam engine and it’s whistle in the dark in the distance! Despite the late train, the displays ran like clockwork and we were all surprise to see firework chasers who drive their cars to each station ahead of the train to catch each display.  We also had staff with cameras who drove to each station and captured images of the fireworks.

The end result

What really made this event was the feedback at the end. As the display finished all the steam engines sounded their horns and whistles over the claps and cheers of the audience, and the site echoed with a nostalgic sound that felt like post war Britain as the troops returned to their families. It was an indescribable feeling and moment.  Feedback from the passengers on the train was phenomenal and they said they absolutely loved the variety of fireworks as they differed from station to station. The combination of the emotion of being on a steam train and the excitement of fireworks as they slowed for each station was, as one passenger described it “an amazing emotional experience never to be experienced again, it was truly wonderful”.

The management team from the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway said they were “blown away by the displays and the lightshow pyromusical at the terminus yard by far exceeded all of their expectations.”

The clean up afterwards was long and hard, and made even more challenging because of the moving trains which were being put away.  It is when you are tired that you become most vulnerable, however each team member looked out for the others as is always the case with our displays. The drinks and pizzas back at the campsite were very welcome and making the front page of the Shropshire Star the next day was icing on the cake.

8miles of fireworks fireworks shropshire star

Watch the full video from the fireworks display here.

 

It was certainly well worth going that extra 8 miles!

 

 

Fundraising with fireworks

Secret school fundraising offer

Calling all teachers – be your schools’ fundraising hero!

If you’re reading this then hopefully you are a teacher, headteacher, PTA member or a parent active in school fundraising.  If you are, then we can reveal a one-time offer that will allow you to easily raise funds for your school and be a fundraising hero! This offer has become available solely due to the dates that certain days of the year fall in 2017!

Intrigued?  Then read on and all will become clear…

Fundraising problems:

  1. Fundraising is a headache, it takes a huge amount of effort (entertainment, marketing, different suppliers, health and safety, risk assessments – the list goes on). What we can offer reduces the amount of effort you need to put in to hold the fundraising event, as we do the majority of the work!
  2. Keeping people at your fundraising event and spending – our offer will allow you to easily attract people to your event and keep them there spending for as long as you want!
  3. Cost – the cost of holding an event can be expensive with little return. We have a discount offer to blow you away – keep reading!
  4. In order to grow the event year after year takes an increase in effort with not necessarily the same growth in funds raised. Our offer is proven to grow and current customers have seen attendance and revenues grow year on year.
  5. If you hold your event at the same dates as other schools then you’re already competing for attendance. This is where our offer delivers…it’s time to explain.

people standing behind firework display

Bonfire night falls on a Monday this year, which means that most of our customers want a display on the Friday or Saturday, however like most firework companies we have our stock, staff and vans ready from much earlier in the week and so can offer a much reduced rate for a Bonfire night fireworks event…

  1. Our existing school clients started off small, made a good profit in year 1 however have grown year on year
  2. We carry £10 million public liability insurance, and do risk assessments and organise the display set up and clear up
  3. Attendance tends to be high as people are looking for firework displays to go to at that time of year, and are more likely to attend their own schools display if it doesn’t clash with a large public event. A small entrance fee will make a big difference to your fundraising efforts
  4. You can blow them away with our amazing professional displays. Recently we held a display at a school who had previously done fireworks themselves – they were blown away by the difference between a professional display and their hand-fired retail bought fireworks.   Their crowds have grown year on year ever since.
  5. Your customers come with money and spend at stalls until the fireworks are done. This allows you to put on additional stalls to raise further funds:
    • Competition stalls (hook a duck, basketball throwing)
    • Hot food stalls
    • small fair ride pitches
  6. Ever see glow sticks and flashing toys at firework displays? That’s because kids buy them by the bucket-load, and we can provide them for you at a low cost giving you an extra revenue stream on the night
  7. Prices for our firework display include VAT, so many organisations can claim that back, making it even cheaper to hold the event

Our Bonfire night displays start at £1800 including VAT however due to the date that Bonfire night falls and availability on other nights in the week we can now offer:

Tuesday 30th Oct – Thursday 1st Nov – £1250 incl VAT Quote offer ref BONWEEK

Sunday 4th & Monday 5th November – £1500 incl VAT Quote offer ref BONSUN

 “I organise a fireworks night as a fundraiser at my children’s school and everyone always says it is truly the best display they have seen, our crowds have trebled over the last 3 years as has our profit.  Value for money with the most fantastic service…… everything is taken care of so all you need to do is sell tickets!   Could not recommend enough”

Jane Lee – Forestdale Primary School PTA

So in terms of fundraising, the sky really is the limit this Bonfire Night.  So why not be a fundraising hero and see how Electrify Pyrotechnics can help your organisation to exceed its’ fundraising target in 2017.