30 Jun 10 Facts About Fireworks

Whatever you do this weekend, remember that fire safety should be your top priority. Always check for animals, keep an eye on the kids, and watch the Scrumpy Cider if you’re planning on lighting anything!

Fireworks were invented over 2,000 years ago by the Chinese and served the purpose of warding off evil spirits from public celebrations, military missions, and private gatherings. China remains the largest exporter of more than 90% of the fireworks in the world.

Gunpowder was discovered in Arabia by a Syrian man named Hasan al-Rammah in 1240. Yet, the first recording of them being used in England wasn’t until 1486, when they featured highly at King Henry VII’s wedding.

According to ancient Chinese medicine, if fireworks feature in your dreams, it’s believed to be a symbol of enthusiasm and determination. It can also mean, however, that you instead enjoy being the center of attention!

Our very own Guy Fawkes Night remains the most recognized firework-orientated event in the world. Not even the 4th of July has managed to catch us up yet in terms of sales per square kilometer of country, and 2025, it’ll be 420 years since Fawkes attempted to kill King James I by blowing up Parliament.

Queen Elizabeth loved fireworks so much that she created the role of Fire Master of England for whoever was putting on the best displays at her events. Quickly, the title of Fire Master became as enviable and sought-after as those such as Poet Laureate or Society Painter.

The Japanese call fireworks ‘Hanabi,’ which means Fire Flowers.

Some rockets can reach speeds of over 150mph and travel 200 meters into the air before exploding, and some sparklers generate heat levels that can reach 15 times that of the boiling point of water!

The International Festival concert in Edinburgh sees a million fireworks set off in less than an hour – making it the most significant annual display in Europe

Until the 1500s, fireworks could only be made in orange or white due to the chemical makeup of the gunpowder. More colors were discovered (blue being the trickiest to pull off) when salts were accidentally added to a batch of powder on a ship in England.

The longest burning firework in history was lit in 1996 for the New Year’s celebrations in Hong Kong. A string of colorful firecrackers burned for 22 hours it should have been 24, but unfortunately… it rained.