Welcome to EllwoodCity.org.  The "unofficial" site of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania

06/26/2008 11:51 AM

 

Going Out With A Bang June 26, 2008 America’s most celebrated holiday is right around the bend. Next Friday brings the arrival of the 4th of July. One local fireworks distributor can always be associated with the 4th of July, Zambelli Fireworks. The most interesting fact is that Zambelli fireworks are assembled in New Castle, Pennsylvania, which is about 25 minutes from Ellwood City. Zambelli is a family owned firework company that has been in the industry for over 100 years. Zambelli is a family name that is known throughout the United States of America for their fantastic firework displays. Zambelli fireworks have been featured on the Discovery Channel, BBC, and MSNBC. There is a lot more to the firework industry than a lot of people think. When talking to a Zambelli representative, ECO discovered Zambelli does 3,000 to 4,000 firework displays in the country with 150 of them taking place in Pennsylvania. The 4th of July is not the only time they produce shows. They do weddings, Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games, and one of the famous non-holiday displays, Thunder Over Louisville. However, their busiest day is the 4th of July. In the Pennsylvania area on the 4th, firework enthusiasts can see outstanding displays in Neshannock Township, Butler, and other Northern Pittsburgh areas. Prices for these shows can range from $1,000 to thousands of dollars. The most amazing thing is how fast and successful they work with only a 40 member permanent team. Due to the busy holiday they hire extra firework technicians. Although Zambelli made fireworks famous locally, fireworks originated thousands of miles away. The true home of fireworks is China. Chinese natives took bamboo tubes and packed them with saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. However, they did not set off fireworks for entertainment but for another reason. During weddings, funerals and even birthdays they set off fireworks that produced loud bangs. These loud bangs were believed to ward off “evil spirits”. In the 1300’s fireworks were introduced to Italy by Italian explorer, Marco Polo, and soon after, Italy became the leading European center for the new art, supplying pyrotechnics to European churchmen and kings for important celebrations. To enjoy fireworks today, one must understand the dangers of working with the ballistic items and the laws surrounding the industry. In Pennsylvania there are certain laws that come with purchasing and even selling fireworks. A buyer must be 18 years or older to buy fireworks. Firework distributors and purchasers must sign a state permit to be able to sell and purchase fireworks...(click the permit images above for printable permit)