15 Fireworks Fun Facts for The 4th of July

The 4th of July is a holiday designed to celebrate our country's independence. It's also a day for family fun, BBQs and of course fireworks! Americans have been setting off fireworks to celebrate independence since 1777, at least. So in honor of the upcoming holiday, here are some fun facts about fireworks that you may not know!

Fireworks Fun Facts 

1. The earliest documented evidence of fireworks dates back to AD700 in China. Gunpowder was put into a bamboo shoot and thrown into fire, producing a large blast and the first fireworks.

2. Marco Polo brought fireworks to Europe in 1295, sparking the spread of the invention around the world.

3. China is the leading manufacturer of fireworks, producing about 90% of the world's fireworks.

4. The earliest known use of the word "fireworks" in English was in 1562.

5. The record for the most fireworks launched in 30 seconds is 125,801.

6. The Walt Disney Company is said to be the world's largest consumer of fireworks, spending well over $1 Million a year on them.

7. Dreaming of fireworks is interpreted to symbolize creativity, enthusiasm and talent. It also means that you like to be the center of attention and are showing off to others.

8.Different metals are used to create each of the colors you see in fireworks: blue is copper, green is barium, orange is calcium, yellow is sodium, white is aluminum & titanium, and red is lithium salts and strontium salt.

9. The hardest color to create in fireworks is blue. It's done with copper oxidizers, but the temperature of the reaction has to be just right.

10. Orange is the easiest color of fireworks to create, which is why up until the Middle Ages, fireworks were only orange and white.

11. People who make fireworks are only allowed to wear cotton clothing, as synthetic fibers cause static electricity that could set off the fireworks.

12. Currently, the largest fireworks display in North America is "Thunder Over Louisville" which kicks off the Kentucky Derby Festival each year since 1990.

13. The Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks display is held by the Dubai Government in Palm Jumeirah Island and the World Islands in Dubai, UAE. It took place on December 31, 2013 and consisted of 479,651 fireworks!

14. The sound a firework makes is dependent upon the different chemical combinations; for example, aluminum flakes make hissing noises, while flash powder is responsible for the big, loud booms!

15. The largest firework rocket was 13 kg and was produced and launched in Portugal in 2010.

Fireworks at Lake of the Ozarks

Friday, July 3
Captain Ron's - 4th of July Fireworks from 8:30-9:30 PM (View by water at the 34.5 MM)
Old Kinderhook - 4th of July Fun Fest starts at 5 PM, Fireworks begin at dusk.
Windermere - Freedom Celebration All Day, with Fireworks at 9 PM

Saturday, July 4 
Bear Bottom Resort - Fireworks at 9:45 PM (View by water at the 38 MM)
Celebration Cruises - View The Lodge's Fireworks aboard the Celebration from 7-9 PM
Eldon City Park - Fireworks display begins at dusk.
Sonlight Christian Fellowship - Freedom Fest starts at 6 PM, Fireworks at 9:15 PM
Lake Valley Country Club - Fireworks display begins at dusk.
Mother Nature's Riverfront Retreat - Live Entertainment at 7 PM, Fireworks begin at dusk.
Playin' Hooky Fireworks Cruise - Departs from Millstone Marina from 8:30-10 PM
Point Randall Resort - Fireworks at 9 PM
The Lodge of Four Seasons - BBQ and Carnival starts at 6 PM - 10 PM (View by water at the 13 MM)
Tan-Tar-A Resort - Fireworks from 8:30-9:30 PM (View by water at the 26 MM)
Tropic Island Cruise - View Tan-Tar-A's Fireworks aboard the Tropic Island from 8:30-9:30 PM

Sunday, July 5 
Bear Bottom Resort - Fireworks at 9:45 PM (View by water at the 38 MM)

Happy 4th of July from your Lake of the Ozarks mortgage lender! Enjoy the fireworks displays over our beautiful Lake. Remember that you could enjoy them every year when you purchase a new home at the Lake of the Ozarks! Contact me at 573-746-7211 for all your financing needs!

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Michael Lasson

Sr. Residential Mortgage Lender

NMLS #: 493712

2265 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Suite B

PO Box 1449

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Direct:  (573) 746-7211

Cell: (573) 216-7258

Fax:(573) 693-9141

Email:  mlasson@fsbfinancial.com

**The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent First State Bank of St Charles’s positions, strategies, or opinions.