fireworks..

Well, that depends on what type of fireworks you want, and whether it's legal to sell/buy them in your state.

Legality can go city by city in the US.

I found sparklers in Chinese novelty stores (San Francisco). Also specialist party outlets (San Bruno).

Specialized fireworks outlets (SC) - actually near the SC/ NC border.

In some states, they are illegal.

In some states they are liiegal except for a few whimpy things like sparklers.

In some states, it's anything goes.

If you live in the first two kinds of state, you will make your way to a nearyb state where you can buy them, fill up your trunk and hope you don't get stopped by the highway patrol as you drive back home. They await, stopping and confiscating the illegal fireworks, sometimes imposing a stiff fine.

You can buy fireworks individually or in big packets of mixed fireworks.

In the legal states, fireworks stands are set up just across the border (about a mile) to sell to people who come from the illegal places. In some legal states, fireworks can be bought in regular stores, like convience stores and discount stores.

stitchingirl said:

What about in NYC?

Click to expand...

The small sparkler stuff is legal in Connecticut - not sure about NY. In CT you can buy stuff around the 4th of July at Walmart, etc.

They're apparently banned in NY. Here's the link:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/012.html

and this:

http://www.arrested.com/stories/states_fireworks_laws.html

If you're looking for ones sneaked in, I'm guessing maybe Chinatown...

I live in Ireland where you have to have a licence to put on a proper firework display. However, you can buy legal fireworks from most grocery shops, fancy dress places, party shops etc.

If you're looking for more exciting stuff then you have to know who to talk to. And if you live in Belfast, then you'll know.

If you've never seen the enormous, tacky fireworks warehouses in SC near the NC border, you should some day. Buy some peaches on the side of the road while you're at it

I don't think we can even buy sparklers in NC, if I'm not mistaken. We really do stock up from trips across the border.

There are plenty of permanent firework stores, but since it's a very seasonal business, they will probably be outnumbered by outdoor tents around the 4th of July. You can buy individual novelty items (like tanks and battleships, flying UFOs, or exploding Osama bin Laden heads), bottle rockets by the gross, or prepackaged variety packs (although that's not as efficient). Also, around the 4th of July a lot of grocery stores will carry some of the variety packs. However, buying at a dedicated fireworks store will get you a handful of "punks," which are slow burning sticks, similar to incense, that you use to light fireworks so you don't use a match for each individual piece you shoot off (That's what I called them growing up in Missouri anyway; I'm not sure if that's regional).

Also, even small, relatively rural towns will likely ban fireworks within the city limits, with possible exceptions for the first few nights of July.

In most places in the USA, even where all fireworks are banned, there are legal fireworks displays, sometimes put on my towns and cities and sometimes by private organizations. These fireworks are set off usually by the fire department and those folks go through special training.