DC gears up for a record-breaking Fourth of July fireworks spectacle
TL;DR
Washington, DC’s 40-minute Fourth of July show, staged by Pyrotecnico, will light the sky with more than 850,000 fireworks and effects and more than 4,250 pounds of fireworks per minute across three launch areas (Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, West Potomac Park, and the Potomac River). The operation requires 50+ trucks and a crew of at least 75, and, if completed as planned, could break the current world record for the largest fireworks display (held by Iglesia Ni Cristo in the Philippines since 2016) as part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.
- 354 fireworks every second: The Fourth of July show by the numbers The Washington Post
- A history of fireworks showcased at the Science History Institute WHYY
- Fireworks were 'discovered' in China 2000 years ago. How did they become a 4th of July staple? Upworthy
- From Earth to Sky: How Minerals Create the Dazzling Colors of Independence Day Fireworks USGS (.gov)
- The science behind firework colors WSAZ
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